Rules in Ottawa must change to slice grocery prices for Canadians: NDP

VANCOUVER—On Monday, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Vancouver joined by NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam) and NDP candidate for Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam Laura Dupont in front of a Loblaws-owned grocery store calling on the government to use its power to slice grocery prices.

Last month, the New Democrats proposed a plan to lower grocery prices that was voted down by Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre, leaving Canadians with no hope that essential food costs will go down.

“Canadians are frustrated. Every time they go to the grocery store, they get ripped off while the grocery CEOs make billions in profits. Why? Because the Liberals and Conservatives wrote the rules to favour the rich and powerful and you fall further behind,” said Singh. “New Democrats believe we must change the rules to slice grocery prices and stop the greed. Ottawa has the power to protect Canadians from giant corporations ripping them off. We can tip the scale in your favour by forcing big grocery chains and suppliers to lower the price of essential foods.”

Over the last three years, the cost of food has increased by over 20 per cent and food bank usage is at an all-time high. All the while, the grocery sector racked in $6 billion in profits last year alone. Today, Jagmeet Singh reiterates his call to force the big grocery chains and suppliers to lower the price of essential food over the next six months, or else face a price cap. He also reiterates his call on the government to stop feeding the greed with massive corporate handouts and make big grocery chains pay what they owe to give Canadians a break.

“When given the chance, both Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre voted against lowering food prices for people and protected the profits of giant grocery chains,” said Singh. “Not a surprise when we know that for the past twenty years, Pierre Poilievre has been stacking the deck as high as he can for big business and big bosses. He believes that the government should do even less to fight back against corporate greed. He wants to give big grocery chains more of your money while you scrimp and save.

"New Democrats are fighting to change the rules to protect you and your wallet — not corporate profits.”