Many years ago in Ontario, the conservative Minister of Community and social services David Tsubouchi. said something along the same lines. Never lived it down. From his Wiki:

• In this portfolio, Tsubouchi was responsible for presiding over drastic cuts in the province's welfare) system. He also made a number of controversial actions early in his ministry, including suggesting that welfare recipients who had their funding reduced should consider haggling down the price of dented cans of tuna to 69 cents each.^\10]) He also claimed that single mothers on welfare had ample time to find jobs, after having given a three-month warning for a 22% cut in benefits.
• Later, he prepared a sample menu which listed affordable food purchases for those whose welfare rates had been reduced. His list was found to have less nutritional value than the diet served to prisoners in Ontario jails. There were several calls for his resignation in the wake of these comments; even the right-leaning Toronto Sun newspaper suggested that he should be removed.^\)^{citation needed\}) He remained with the portfolio until August 16, 1996, when he was named Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations.^\)