We are living through a break in the international system that many had assumed would never occur. As Prime Minister Carney noted in his speech at Davos, longstanding assumptions about the value of restraint, predictability, and shared rules are giving way to a more exposed reality where power is exercised openly, and major players increasingly act without meaningful limits.

This shift does not mean countries like Canada are helpless. Middle powers do not have to drift at the mercy of larger forces. We have agency if we are prepared to see the world clearly and respond with intention.

For Canadians, these global shifts show up in the rising cost of groceries, the price of essentials, and the worries many families feel about whether their paycheques will stretch far enough. Trade wars, pandemics, conflicts, and climate change have interconnected consequences for markets. When they do, households bear the costs first.

That is why the Groceries and Essential Benefit is so important. It is targeted, direct support for those most affected by rising food and household costs, including seniors, low-income families, and people living paycheque to paycheque.

To this end, our government will provide one-time top-up payment, equal to a 50 per cent increase this spring under this benefit. This measure alone will put........

© iPolitics