Chrystia Freeland called out for saying Canada is in a “vibecession”

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Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada is going through a “vibecession,” and it’s rubbed some Canadians the wrong way.

Freeland used the term during a press conference on Monday while discussing the impact of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recently announced GST holiday.

The minister explained that there was a disconnect between the uptick in the Canadian economy and consumers’ current attitudes.

That “disconnect” is what economists refer to as a “vibecession.”

“The idea of vibecession is ultimately about how the economy makes people feel, but not what the facts are and how the economy is really doing (perception vs reality),” noted TD in its explanation of the term.

Freeland acknowledged that “a lot” of economists have been discussing the vibecession and how “Canadians just aren’t feeling good and that is having real economic consequences.”

“There is a disconnect between the … really positive economic news. The fact that the Canadian economy does appear set for a soft landing — that’s good news. But Canadians aren’t feeling it and that is shaping their economic behaviour in ways that are not great for the Canadian economy,” she said.

Freeland added that the GST holiday measure will help Canadians “get past that vibecession.”

The GST cut, which the government estimates will provide $1.6 billion in federal tax relief, will start on December 14 and end on February 15. It will be eligible for a number of items, including groceries, beer and wine, restaurant meals (dine-in, take-out or delivery), essential childcare items, and even Christmas trees. A full list can be found here.

However, some social media users felt Freeland’s use of the term wasn’t a vibe, given how many Canadians are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table.

Kevin Vuong, Independent MP for Spadina-Fort York, said it was “deeply insulting to Canadians.”

“[Minister Freeland] is saying to those struggling to make ends meet that it’s all in their head. It may feel like things are tough but it’s just a ‘vibe.’ [Canada’s] finance minister is gaslighting Canadians,” Vuong stated on X.

X user Alex Kohut accused Freeland of “poor messaging for a lot of reasons… but the most damaging one is it sends the message that the Liberal government thinks people who feel like it’s a difficult economic time for them are wrong.”

Another X user called for more serious repercussions.

“Uttering the word ‘vibecession’ during a rather pronounced cost-of-living crisis ought to result in an instant resignation and disqualification for public office in the future,” wrote one individual.

“A vibecession is when your neighbour loses her groove, a vibepression is when you lose yours,” joked another.

Some said they were “struggling” to comprehend Freeland’s use of the term.

“If a few more of you had cut your Disney+ subscription maybe we wouldn’t be in a vibecession,” wrote one X user, sarcastically referring to Freeland previously suggesting that Canadians should cancel their streaming service subscriptions to cut rising living costs.

What are your thoughts about Freeland’s use of “vibecession” to describe how Canadians are feeling about the country’s economic state? Let us know in the comments.

With files from Isabelle Docto 

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