On Monday, Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh kicked off a three-day tour in Northeast Ontario to talk with northerners about the NDP’s plan to change the rules in Ottawa to lower their costs.
Singh has been touring the country to start conversations with Canadians about the changes necessary to tip the scales in their favour. Joined by MP Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay) on his stop in Timmins, Singh pointed to decades of Liberals and Conservatives writing the rules to stack the deck in favour of big corporations and the ultra-wealthy, including allowing grocery giants to gouge northerners at the grocery till.
“People in Northern Ontario are doing everything right—working hard, taking care of their families, and paying the bills—but they just can’t get ahead. It’s not their fault,” said Singh. “Liberals and Conservatives wrote the rules to benefit the rich and powerful, not hardworking northerners. That’s why you get ripped off at the grocery store and why it’s so tough to afford a home. The system isn’t fair, and it’s time to rewrite the rules to tip the scales in your favour, for once.”
Over the last three years, the cost of food has increased by over 20 per cent and food bank usage is at a 35-year high. All the while, the grocery sector made record profits in 2023, raking in $6 billion.
Singh reiterated his call for a price cap on essential grocery items, and an end to government cash handouts to greedy corporations that gouge people. In just one example, Justin Trudeau gave $26 million to Loblaw and Costco to buy new fridges.
“Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre voted against lowering food prices for Canadians. They are protecting the massive profits of giant corporations, and those profits come out of your pocket,” said Angus. “Liberal and Conservative governments spent the last 20 years stacking the deck as high as they can for big-business and the ultra-wealthy—and working people and small businesses in our communities are paying the price. New Democrats have always and will always stand with Northerners. Now, that means not accepting the status quo, but finally rewriting the rules in favour of everyday folks.”
Singh and Angus will be in Timmins and Kirkland Lake to hear from local leaders on Indigenous child welfare, housing and health services. They will participate in Cree Fest and visit one of the area’s underground mining operations.