Jagmeet Singh introduces bill to lower prices for Canadians

OTTAWA— On Monday, on the first day of the new Parliamentary session, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is introducing his plan to lower grocery prices for Canadians. For 20 months in a row, food prices increased faster than inflation and, under Justin Trudeau, food prices have increased by 30 per cent leaving families working hard but falling further behind.

Singh’s private member’s bill will increase penalties for price fixing, help smaller grocery stores by protecting them against anti-competitive tactics from bigger players, give the competition bureau more powers to crack down on abuses like price-gouging consumers, and stop mergers that decrease competition and hurt Canadians – like the recent Rogers and Shaw merger.

“Canadians are sick and tired of Liberal and Conservative governments protecting CEOs’ massive profits instead of protecting hardworking people getting gouged on their grocery bills,” said Singh. “I’m putting forward changes today that would ensure Canadians aren’t getting ripped off at the grocery store and to bring food prices down for you and your family.”

In March 2022, when Jagmeet forced the Liberals and Conservatives to vote on making big grocery companies like Loblaws to pay what they owe, they teamed up to stop it. But Singh and the NDP continued to push the issue. On October 5, 2022, New Democrats called for a study at the agriculture committee to investigate inflation on the food supply chain and the cost of groceries. Months later, on February 13, New Democrats had the study broadened to summon CEOs from Loblaws, Metro, and Empire Company and, on March 8, 2023, they finally appeared.

“After over a year of ignoring the problem, Justin Trudeau is now saying he’s going to take action. His delay has cost Canadian families thousands of dollars,” said Singh. “Huge corporate grocery stores have made record profits off the backs of Canadians and now Justin Trudeau is essentially going to ask them nicely to lower their prices. It’s not good enough. And Pierre Poilievre is not who he says he is. He was in power for nine years – he's part of the problem. He believes in bigger profits for corporations fueled by low paycheques for workers. While Poilievre was in government, they cut corporate tax by $66 billion; they had the chance to make corporations pay what they owe, but they actually made them pay less.Poilievre has a long record of siding with huge corporations over hardworking people.

Canadians need someone who’s on their side and willing to tackle the corporate greed driving up food costs—that’s exactly what New Democrats are doing.”