Yesterday, I read a sobering article in The Calgary Herald.

The Calgary Food Bank’s latest report confirms what many Albertans already feel in their bones:
Working full-time is no longer enough to keep food on the table.

📊 The Brutal Reality

• 32% of employed Calgary Food Bank clients worked multiple jobs in the past year

• 27% reported full-time wages as their primary income source

• 57,878 food hampers were distributed to working households in 2024 — a 27% jump year over year

• Nationally, food bank usage by working Canadians jumped from 12.1% in 2019 to 18.1% in 2024 (Food Banks Canada)

That’s not just a statistic. That’s a sign of a broken promise — that hard work equals stability.

❌ Who’s to Blame?

The NDP and their allies say it’s “market failure” and corporate greed.

But here’s the truth:
This is government-driven poverty, and it’s coming from every level.

🔥 1. Inflation — Made in Ottawa

• Federal deficits and money-printing have fueled a two-year food inflation spike of nearly 20%

• Carbon taxes now affect every stage of food production and delivery

• Meanwhile, wages remain stagnant

Every grocery trip now feels like a horror novel — only the monster is your receipt.

💸 2. Taxation Without Restraint

According to the Fraser Institute:

The average Canadian family now pays over 45% of income in taxes — more than they spend on housing, food, and clothing combined.

Let that sink in.

⚙️ 3. Ottawa’s War on Work

• Carbon taxes, minimum wage mandates, and red tape have forced small businesses to cut hours or shift to gig work

• In Alberta, the energy strangulation policies of Trudeau’s Liberals have erased thousands of full-time, high-paying jobs

This is how governments create poverty: one regulation at a time.

🏠 4. Rising Rates & Municipal Mismanagement

• Interest rates have exploded

• Mayor Jyoti Gondek pushed through property tax increases that landlords passed on to renters

• Result: Working families and seniors are being priced out of their homes

When rent eats your income, there’s nothing left for groceries.

🛠️ Three Conservative Solutions to Restore Dignity to Work

✅ 1. Lower Taxes for Working Families

Let Canadians keep more of what they earn.
Work should be rewarded — not punished.

✅ 2. Rebuild Alberta’s Energy Advantage

We don’t need more consultants. We need rig workers, engineers, and tradespeople.
Remove federal barriers to oil and gas, and bring real jobs back.

✅ 3. Cut Wasteful Spending at City Hall

No more:

• $2M art installations

• $65K water hotlines

• $70M vanity projects for Olympic Plaza

Redirect those funds to:

• Lower property taxes

• Approve more housing

• Offer builder incentives for high-rises near C-Train lines

⚠️ Final Word:

A society where full-time workers rely on charity is a society governed by the wrong priorities.

Calgary doesn’t need more slogans. It needs leadership that understands the basics:

• Lower taxes

• More housing

• Real jobs

• Respect for working Canadians