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| Great White North |
| Canada threatens to fine grocery stores over high prices |
| 2023-09-18 |
| [RT] The Canadian government is taking aim at grocery stores, warning them of “big consequences” if they fail to provide “relief for Canadians” by stabilizing food prices by October 9. This comes amid rising inflation in the country and as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party trails badly in the polls. Speaking at the Liberals’ national caucus retreat in London, Ontario on Thursday, Trudeau said he expects “to hear from them [the largest grocery chains] by Thanksgiving on what their plan is to stabilize prices,” adding that “if their plan doesn’t provide real relief for the middle class and people working hard to join it, then we will take further action, and we are not ruling anything out, including tax measures.” The minister of innovation, science and industry, Francois-Philippe Champagne, said in an interview with the CBC that he sent out invitations to the CEOs of Loblaw, Sobeys, Metro, Costco, and Walmart – the biggest grocery chains in the country – to attend a meeting in Ottawa on Monday to come up with “meaningful action that would reduce price inflation in the grocery sector.” Champagne did not elaborate on what kind of “tax measures” the prime minister had in mind, but reiterated that there would be “consequences” if they failed “to come to the table with a meaningful solution.” The move comes amid soaring prices in Canada and reports that the grocery giants have seen record profits. “It’s not okay that our biggest grocery stores are making record profits while Canadians are struggling to put food on the table,” Trudeau said at a press conference on Thursday. The CEOs of the grocery giants denied the allegations of price-gouging and profiteering, arguing that “the grocery chains operate with extremely small profit margins and have minimal influence on inflation.” The Retail Council of Canada, which represents Canada’s biggest grocery chains, argues that focusing solely on grocery stores will not solve the problem of rising food prices, as it is just the tip of the iceberg, and instead urged the government to “look in the mirror.” According to Karl Littler, the senior vice president of public relations at the Retail Council, it is the government’s policies, such as the growing carbon tax, which affects farmers and food distribution, and limiting the use of plastic which keeps food fresh that mainly contribute to the rising prices. “If they don’t look at what’s below the surface and what’s actually driving food prices, then it’s not going to be a very helpful exercise,” Littler said. The public has shown growing discontent with Trudeau’s handling of the economy, with recent polls indicating that only 26% of Canadians would vote for the Liberals if an election were held today, with the Conservatives in the lead. Related: Justin Trudeau: 2023-09-16 'Empty shelves with absolutely no books': Students, parents question school board's library weeding process Justin Trudeau: 2023-09-13 Justin Trudeau's G20 Disaster: Scolded by Narendra Modi, Stranded in India by Faulty Plane Justin Trudeau: 2023-09-07 Justin Trudeau Says He Never Forced People To Get Vaccinated And That We've Always Been At War With Eurasia |
| Posted by:Grom the Reflective |
| #20 ^ This is where we are. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2023-09-18 18:05 |
| #19 Seems like the Canadians like Tredeu or mini castro. Just like we have the idiots here. Until there is blood nothing will change. |
| Posted by: Chris 2023-09-18 16:19 |
| #18 As usual, you'll get a lot of needs and very few abilities. aka You get more of what you subsidize. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2023-09-18 15:24 |
| #17 ^Some German, whatwashisname? |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2023-09-18 14:57 |
| #16 From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs. I think I remember that from somewhere... |
| Posted by: Bobby 2023-09-18 14:56 |
| #15 #14 The state will introduce ration cards. And guess what'll happen to any troublemakers? |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2023-09-18 14:55 |
| #14 ^ That's the pain in blue states. To have the taxpayers in all the other states pay their tab. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-09-18 14:51 |
| #13 ^And then the State will have to take over. |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2023-09-18 14:18 |
| #12 Commies don't understand basic economics. If the seller can't make a profit, the seller won't sell. It will become unavailable. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2023-09-18 14:17 |
| #11 ^ Chicago mayor wants Chicago taxpayers to absorb the cost of shrinkage that would certainly take place at city owned stores. Walmart and Whole Foods shareholders were apparently unwilling to do so. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2023-09-18 13:57 |
| #10 Chicago mayor considers creating city-owned grocery store after Walmart, Whole Foods close stores in the city |
| Posted by: Beavis 2023-09-18 13:53 |
| #9 The margin on grocery items is so minimal, a professional operation squeaks by. Can you think what groceries will cost when the gubbamint runs the stores? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2023-09-18 13:26 |
| #8 ^ Sort of like buying |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-09-18 12:59 |
| #7 The retail in the USSR was inefficient, if not to say almost non-existent. The way it was organized, buyers had to stand in separate lines for specific products — meat, dairy, vegetables, etc. — and then wait in another, general line at the cashier. |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2023-09-18 12:55 |
| #6 I thought Bee.... |
| Posted by: Cleared Cookies Lost Nic 2023-09-18 12:29 |
| #5 So, you can head on down to People's Grocery Store Number 19 to get what you can from the mostly empty shelves and then be robbed by the gang bangas on the way out. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-09-18 12:19 |
| #4 Chicago's Dem Mayor Brandon Johnson now wants to create city-run grocery stores to promote 'equitable' access to food after Walmart and Whole Foods close stores |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2023-09-18 11:47 |
| #3 The economic illiteracy of this threatened action is astounding, and these clowns probably got their cue from Elizabeth Warren, who made similarly stupid complaints and threats last year. If anyone in the grocery business manages to get a 4% profit margin, they deserve a medal. I hope all these grocers tell Ottawa and that clown prince Trudeau to go to hell. |
| Posted by: Raj 2023-09-18 11:44 |
| #2 Who had Canada going full commie in the early 2020s on their bingo card? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2023-09-18 11:43 |
| #1 Canuckistan commissars keep Your groceries incredibly cheap And backslap themselves... For creating bare shelves Where their overweight homeless can sleep. |
| Posted by: Boss Gliper9117 2023-09-18 09:38 |