Liberals’ $800 cut per month to the CRB will hurt families

This month, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals will cut the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) by $800 a month for families struggling to make ends meet in this pandemic

OTTAWA — Close to two million Canadians still rely on the CRB after losing their jobs during the pandemic and will lose the help they need when Justin Trudeau cuts CRB by $800 a month starting in two weeks. In many provinces, restrictions are still in place and people will still be temporarily or permanently laid off. Canadians will still need help to pay bills and put food on the table this summer. Despite that reality, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government refuses to reverse their decision to cut help by $800 a month for struggling families.

“People who work in tourism, arts or entertainment and lost their jobs during the pandemic can’t go back to work. They need help to get by and take care of their families,” said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. “But Justin Trudeau’s Liberals are more focused on helping those who profited from the pandemic. The Liberals are cutting help to people barely getting by while they let rich corporations who got government help and paid their rich shareholders off the hook. This is wrong. It’s clear who’s side Justin Trudeau is on and it’s not yours. Canadians deserve a government on their side. New Democrats will always fight for Canadian families.”

The Liberals’ track record over their six years in power shows where their priorities lie — helping those at the top instead of struggling families. In the pandemic, Justin Trudeau had to be forced by the NDP to provide people with any real support. When the Liberals wanted people to survive on $1,000 a month during pandemic lockdowns, the NDP fought back and succeeded in doubling help for struggling families. Now the Liberals want to cut the CRB by $800 a month knowing full well this will hurt families struggling to make ends meet.

“A Prime Minister who cares for people doesn’t cut the help they need to put food on the table. Justin Trudeau promised that he would be there for families for as long as people needed help – what happened to that promise?” asked Singh. “While Justin Trudeau turns his back on you, we will keep fighting to make sure you get the help you need. New Democrats will keep pushing the government to stop this cruel cut to help.”

New Democrats made it clear to Justin Trudeau’s Liberals that they would sit through the summer and help them pass what is needed in the House of Commons to make sure families don’t suffer with an $800 cut to the help they need.