QUESTION PERIOD — Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Cost of Food
February 7, 2024
Clearly, the minister of the economy, François-Philippe Champagne, has failed in his crusade to force the big grocery retailers to reduce prices.
Last week, the renowned food researcher Sylvain Charlebois said that accusations of profiteering by the major grocery chains are unfounded and it is time to put the debate to rest. Nevertheless, Minister Champagne continues to threaten them.
Correct me if I’m wrong, leader, but for months now, Minister Champagne has done nothing more than wage a diversion campaign on the issue of food prices to distract Canadians from what’s really driving prices up, namely the Trudeau government’s bad economic decisions.
The answer is no. The government continues to work to ensure that the cost of living, especially in the grocery sector, is resolved for the benefit of all Canadian consumers. That’s why the government has proposed amendments to the Competition Act, to give more powers to the Competition Bureau. Furthermore, I’m told that the government sent a letter to the Commissioner of Competition to express the government’s disappointment that the major grocery chains have not cooperated as we would’ve liked for the benefit of Canadians.
Leader, last Monday, a dozen organic, free-range eggs sold for US$9.99 in Florida. In Canada, those dozen eggs would cost more than CA$13. We have never seen that here, but the minister persists in trying to open the door to big American grocery chains so that they can compete with Canadian businesses.
How can we keep taking such comments by the minister seriously, when he may not know that food costs roughly the same in the United States as it does here, except in U.S. dollars, of course?
I can’t comment on relative prices in the United States. It has been too long since I’ve been there. I can assure this chamber that the government and the minister are working hard every day to address this important issue.
