NDP 'Greedflation' motion calling for grocery pricing probe gets unanimous support from MPs
An NDP motion calling on the federal government to take steps to tackle "greedflation," and investigate grocery chain profits, received on Monday.
The motion called out grocery store giants for making "massive profits in the last year," while the cost of groceries keeps rising. It also calls on the government to "recognize that corporate greed is a significant driver of inflation, and to take further action to support families during this cost-of-living crisis."
While not binding鈥攎eaning the federal government is not forced to act, but will have to take note of the House of Commons' unanimous request鈥攖he motion calls on the Liberals to:
- Force CEOs and big corporations to "pay what they owe" by closing tax loopholes;
- Launch an "affordable and fair food strategy" to tackle "corporate greed";
- Ask the competition bureau to investigate grocery chain profits; and
- Support a previously-agreed upon House committee study calling grocery CEOs to testify about "high food prices and the role of 'greedflation.'"
鈥淎fter standing by for months, the Liberals and Conservatives finally agreed today that corporate greed is a problem,鈥 said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in a statement following the vote.
The vote came on the heels of Loblaw vowing to freeze prices of 1,500 No Name brand products until Jan. 31, 2023, citing the increased cost of Canadians' groceries which Loblaw chairman and president Galen G. Weston said was largely out of the grocery giant's control.
On Monday, Singh sought to take some credit for Loblaw's move, suggesting the timing of the announcement was no coincidence given today's parliamentary vote.
"Because of public pressure and our pressure to force grocery stores to start responding to the needs of people, we've seen a positive sign, Loblaws has now announced they're going to freeze the prices of their 鈥楴o Name鈥 line of products. Now, while that's something that is a positive step, we're concerned that they're freezing the higher prices, the inflated prices, and that they could have acted a lot sooner," Singh told reporters on Monday.
Asked whether the Liberals鈥 backing of the NDP motion is an indication that the federal government agrees that grocery store chains are engaging in 'greedflation,' Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on Monday that her government understands that the grocery store checkout counter is "probably" one of the places where Canadians are feeling the biggest pinch.
"I think that we collectively need to do everything that we can to push back against the high prices鈥 I would really encourage all Canadian companies to take a 'Team Canada' approach to the challenge of the cost of living, and to really understand this is really hard for a lot of people," Freeland said.
In an interview with 愛污传媒 on Monday, Sylvain Charlebois, who is senior director at the Agri-foods Analytics Labs at Dalhousie University, said that while grocers around the world have been freezing prices lately, he's not sure it's the right answer to inflation.
"Price regulation will lead to shortages and will likely lead to higher food prices," he said. "So regulating food prices is the wrong thing to do."
Charlebois also pointed to over the summer that looked at financial statements of grocery chains and he said they couldn't find any evidence of profiteering.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government鈥檚 three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party鈥檚 popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn鈥檛 be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada will cut its permanent immigration levels by at least 20 per cent
Canada will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, 愛污传媒 confirmed Wednesday.
The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.
A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.
Trudeau says Liberals 'strong and united' despite caucus dissent
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
'Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief': Bank of Canada governor on interest rate cut
The Bank of Canada made a sizable cut to its key lending rate Wednesday from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent as the global economy continues to expand. The half percentage point cut is the fourth rate cut in a row by the central bank as inflation dropped from 2.7 per cent in June to 1.6 per cent in September.
A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.
A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.
Local Spotlight
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.