Finance committee  Thank you very much. As I mentioned in my initial remarks, there continue to be groups of Canadians who have been left behind. Mr. Blaikie spoke about the issue of the disability benefit, as we have. Again, Parliament has moved on that legislation. Now the program needs to be funded in a way that is adequate, to raise those with disabilities above the market basket measure for poverty in this country.

Finance committee  Certainly, I think all of us who are from Winnipeg, from Manitoba, have seen that whenever we've made great strides on issues like housing and other urban development issues in the past, it's always been all three levels of government working together that has made the difference.

Finance committee  Looking at the client base of food banks in Manitoba, we need to see that benefit moved forward in a way that is acceptable for those who need it and that takes people above that market basket measure of poverty. The gap for a single person in Manitoba between EIA disability and the market basket measure is $945.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Morantz, for that question. Certainly, as you indicate, you've had good testimony from the Bank of Canada and other economists, who can opine in a much better way than I about the underlying causes of the inflation in our country. I can only say that those rising prices for food, fuel, housing and everything we buy are, as you rightly noted, now driving nearly two million Canadians a month to food banks.

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good morning. Harvest Manitoba is Manitoba's food bank supporting the food security programs of 380 agency partners in 46 communities across our province. These programs are serving more than 100,000 people every month. The need for food banks in Canada and Manitoba has never been greater.