The Politics of Money: An IFSD Podcast

Food insecurity in Canada is rising — new policy responses are needed👉 About 1 in 4 Canadians are living in food-insecure households, including around 2.5 million children👉 Food banks are seeing record demand and a growing number of users are working CanadiansSo what’s going on?Canada’s social safety net is not keeping up, but it was never designed to address food insecurity. In our latest episode of The Politics of Money, IFSD convenes leading experts to unpack the issue.💬 “Food insecurity is not a food issue — it’s a resource issue.”IFSD's Managing Director Helaina Gaspard speaks with Sarah Stern (Executive Director, Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security), Valerie Tarasuk (Professor Emerita, University of Toronto), Craig Gundersen (Snee Family Endowed Professor, Baylor University), and Jennifer Robson (Associate Professor, Political Management, Carleton University).Their discussion digs into: Why food bank use is rising—even among employed householdsThe limits of existing supports like EI and the Canada Child BenefitHow responsiveness, timing, and targeting of income supports matterWhat lessons Canada could draw from programs like SNAP in the U.S.👉 At its core, the challenge is this:How do we design a social safety net that actually prevents food insecurity—rather than responds after the fact?For more, please also check out our special live event at the University of Ottawa, Hunger in a Time of Rising Food Costs: The Immediate and Sustained Impact of Food Insecurity.

Food insecurity is not just a social issue — it’s an economic, health, and productivity challenge with lasting consequences for Canada.In this special live event hosted by the IFSD—in partnership with the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security and the Office of Research and Public Policy Outreach at the University of Ottawa—leading researchers, economists, and practitioners examine the real cost and consequences of food insecurity in Canada — from its impact on health systems and labour markets to the long‑term impacts for children, households, and communities.The event is moderated by Adrian Harewood (Journalist and Associate Professor at Carleton University) and features:A conversation with Dr. Valerie Tarasuk (Professor Emerita, University of Toronto) on the drivers and health costs of food insecurityA panel discussion with Geranda Notten (Full professor, University of Ottawa), Rebekah Young (Vice-President, Scotiabank), and Natalie Spooner (Interim CEO, Ottawa Food Bank) on worsening food insecurity and the health, economic, and policy consequences for Canada.The cross-sector event explores why food insecurity has risen so sharply in Canada, its impacts on health, dignity, well‑being, and economic security, and what policy tools can actually make a difference.📍 Recorded live at the University of Ottawa Hosted by the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD)

🎙️ CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD | IFSD's Fiscal Update PreviewAhead of the government’s spring Economic and Fiscal Update, The Politics of Money brings together IFSD President and CEO Kevin Page, Executive VP Sahir Khan, and Chief Economist Mostafa Askari, for a timely preview of what they're looking for in the government's plan. The conversation explores the government’s room to manoeuvre amid global shocks and affordability pressures, while achieving a balance between short-term relief and long-term fiscal credibility. IFSD's team talk about how deficits fit into the over all fiscal picture, what bond rating agencies are looking for, looming pressures around execution and implementation, and the growing importance of transparency as well as expectations facing the Liberal government now that they have secured a majority in the House of Commons. A must-listen Fiscal Update primer for parliamentarians, public servants, journalists, and anyone interested in Canada’s economic outlook.

What holds a country together when pressures—internal and external—keep rising?In this episode of The Politics of Money, IFSD’s President Kevin Page sits down with Stéphane Dion for a wide‑ranging discussion on the difficult choices facing Canada today. Drawing on Dion’s experience as a cabinet minister to three prime ministers, ambassador to Europe, and political scientist, the conversation dives into how Canada navigates ongoing regional tensions and threats of separation, the durability of our democratic institutions, and how federalism provides checks and balances on governments. Recently returned from eight years as Canada's lead Ambassador in Europe, Dion shares insights into Canada–Europe relations, trade diversification, and the geopolitical challenges shaping Canada’s international economic and diplomatic choices –– including the war in Ukraine and prospects for reconstruction.

The Politics of Money is a new podcast from the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy. Each episode the IFSD team and guests will explore how public finance, politics, and institutions shape the world we live in. Our podcast’s mission is to demystify how money moves through government, why it matters, and how decisions made in Ottawa ripple across Canada and beyond. In our first (bonus!) episode, former Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page is joined by former Deputy PBOs Sahir Khan and Mostafa Askari for a quick discussion on the nomination of Annette Ryan as the next PBO. The IFSD team explores the state of the PBO today, Annette Ryan's qualifications and the potential challenges ahead for the Office of the PBO. Our first full length episode, coming soon, will feature a one-on-one conversation with Stéphane Dion and Kevin Page. They discuss Canadian unity and potential provincial referendums, the state of Canada-Europe relations and the war in Ukraine.