EDITORIAL: * * * Federal govt promises * * * action on food pricing…big joke !

The Canadian government promises it will do something about high food prices. We wonder what they will do? Change the price tags? Restock the shelves? Make price posters bigger and clearer?

Here’s a summary of what Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced. We are sure your Thanksgiving dinner food costs will notice his actions when you shop for your Thanksgiving food.

Summary:

  • Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announces measures to stabilize grocery prices without any details.
  • He promises actions such as discounts on food products, price freezes, and price-matching campaigns.
  • He wants market competition but does not disclose individual company pledges.
  • The Liberal government called on major grocers to present a plan to stabilize prices or face potential tax measures.
  • Grocery price inflation has been a concern for Canadians, especially affecting lower-income families.
  • A “grocery task force” will be established by the Office of Consumer Affairs to monitor grocers’ plans.
  • Long-term solution involves promoting competition in the sector, potentially attracting international companies.
  • Legislation has been introduced to amend competition laws to crack down on anti-competitive behavior.
  • The federal government has not provided a timeline for a larger overhaul of the Competition Act.
  • A former Competition Bureau commissioner criticized the government for ignoring issues like the supply management system.
  • Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland launches public consultations on lowering the criminal rate of interest.

Details:
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has announced that Canadian grocers will take steps to stabilize grocery prices, including offering discounts, price freezes, and price matching. However, he did not provide specific details about which products will be included in these promotions. Champagne stated that Canadians will soon witness these actions across a range of food products but did not disclose individual grocers’ plans, as he wants the market to compete, allowing Canadians to judge for themselves.

The Canadian government had previously called on major grocers to present a plan to stabilize prices by Thanksgiving, warning of potential tax measures if they failed to do so. Rising grocery prices have been a concern for Canadians, particularly for lower-income families who spend a significant portion of their income on food. Grocery price inflation had slowed to 6.9 percent in August, but food prices continued to rise faster than overall inflation, which was at four percent.

Champagne also mentioned that the government is establishing a “grocery task force” within the Office of Consumer Affairs to monitor the implementation of the grocers’ plans. He emphasized that the long-term solution to high grocery prices is to promote competition in the sector and potentially attract international companies to the Canadian market.

The Liberal government has introduced legislation to make changes to competition law to combat anti-competitive behavior and prevent harmful mergers. However, critics, including former Competition Bureau commissioner Melanie Aitken, argue that the government is overlooking other significant factors affecting grocery prices, such as the supply management system, which controls the supply of dairy, poultry, and eggs in Canada through price and import controls.

In addition to the grocery price-related updates, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced public consultations on lowering the criminal rate of interest, aiming to combat predatory lending. Treasury Board President Anita Anand unveiled a new guide for public servants on when to contract professional services and when to use internal resources.
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Summary done with assistance of Artificial Intelligence.

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