Conservative MP binges on steak and red wine after 5 days of poverty

Let them eat steak!

Conservative MP Laurie Hawn had an eye-opening experience this week, spending five days living below the poverty line with only $1.75 per day to spend on food.

And that’s good. After all, Hawn represents the riding of Edmonton-Centre and one in eight Edmontonians currently live in poverty — including one in every five children. Food Banks Canada estimates close to two million Canadians visited a food bank last year, up 24.5% since before the 2009 recession (and one-third of food bank visitors happen to be children).

So, how did Hawn mark the end of his week-long challenge — and just minutes after the deadline passed?

With a big juicy steak, prawns and what may very well be a nice, spicy glass of shiraz:

Midnight after Day 5 #belowtheline – that’s more like it. Steak, prawns and wine. @LBLCA pic.twitter.com/EaPkSCdJGj

— Laurie Hawn (@MPLaurieHawn) May 2, 2015

Ah. A dry choice, indeed.

But before you go and say he didn’t learn anything living a week in someone else’s shoes, consider some of the challenges Hawn faced during his week of poverty.

For example, Hawn spent the week eating “yummy but suitably cheap gruel” — that’s his description of a stew of rice, beans, lentils, peas, carrots, onions, yams and potatoes:

Lunching at my desk with my “yummy” but suitably cheap gruel in support of #BelowTheLine. @LBLCA pic.twitter.com/jf6rSYQO6W

— Laurie Hawn (@MPLaurieHawn) April 29, 2015

And that wasn’t the only challenge he learned about.

Think about the challenge of sometimes needing to store food in tupperware containers:

Darn, #belowtheline container of gruel cracked. Have to eat it all at once. Hungry later. @LBLCA pic.twitter.com/08WbHd0ml7

— Laurie Hawn (@MPLaurieHawn) April 30, 2015

And steel-cut oats?

OMG. Can you say “boorring”???

Steel-cut oats (take long time to cook) and tea breakfast Day 3 #BelowTheLine. Tasty enough but boorring. @LBLCA pic.twitter.com/Xc7cuP1MLG

— Laurie Hawn (@MPLaurieHawn) April 29, 2015

And did you know that it’s impossible to live on $1.75 a day in the Air Canada VIP lounge?

Aarrgghh! @AirCanada lounge for flt to #Edmonton. Food and adult beverages can’t have. Still #BelowTheLine. @LBLCA

— Laurie Hawn (@MPLaurieHawn) May 1, 2015

@AirCanada No, I’m living #belowtheline this week to raise awareness about extreme poverty. Check it out at @LBLCA. Thx for checking though.

— Laurie Hawn (@MPLaurieHawn) May 1, 2015

How do these people even make ends meet?

_{Photo: Laurie Hawn / Twitter.}