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As the holidays approach, the NDP is fighting to crack down on corporate greed driving up costs for Canadians

OTTAWA—On Monday, after months of delay from the Liberals to ‘stabilize’ grocery prices, New Democrats are forcing the CEO of Sobeys back before a parliamentary committee later this afternoon. The Sobeys’ CEO appearance comes after Canadians have been struggling with the huge cost of food for almost two years and coincides with a strike at Pete’s Frootique – a Sobeys owned grocery store in Halifax. While these striking workers are fighting for a fair wage, they have been offered a five cent raise per hour while the CEO of Sobeys took a $8 million salary last year and saw an increase in profits this year.

December 4, 2023

As the holidays approach, the NDP is fighting to crack down on corporate greed driving up costs for Canadians

OTTAWA—On Monday, after months of delay from the Liberals to ‘stabilize’ grocery prices, New Democrats are forcing the CEO of Sobeys back before a parliamentary committee later this afternoon. The Sobeys’ CEO appearance comes after Canadians have been struggling with the huge cost of food for almost two years and coincides with a strike at Pete’s Frootique – a Sobeys owned grocery store in Halifax. While these striking workers are fighting for a fair wage, they have been offered a five cent raise per hour while the CEO of Sobeys took a $8 million salary last year and saw an increase in profits this year.

As a result of corporate greed going unchecked by the Liberals and Conservatives for so long, the NDP says big grocery CEOs are not only putting families in an impossible situation when trying to get purchase their holiday groceries, but their own workers aren’t paid enough to shop in the stores where they work.

“Canadians are turning to food banks to feed their kids in record numbers. The holidays are coming, and moms and dads are feeling incredibly stressed about covering their costs. Meanwhile big grocery CEOs are making massive profits,” said NDP Food Price Inflation Critic Alistair MacGregor. “Food is not a luxury, it’s a necessity and unchecked corporate greed is hurting people and workers. The Liberals have made a big show of taking action, but the truth is they’ve been all talk. The only meaningful measures to protect Canadian consumers that will become law came from NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s proposal.”

Besides holding CEOs accountable to Canadians in a public committee, the NDP fought for measures in the fall economic statement to lower food prices and end the CEOs free ride by pushing for changes to the Competition Act. These measures include more power for the Competition Bureau to crack down on price-gouging and price-fixing and gives further powers to the Canada's Competition Commissioner to keep markets competitive for small-businesses.

“We’re 24 months into food prices being unaffordable and it’s New Democrats who are forcing the government to help Canadian families. These out-of-touch Liberals and corporate-controlled Conservatives want Canadians to keep scrimping and saving while these CEOs continue to rake in billions,” said MacGregor. “Liberals are letting corporate greed go unchecked and Poilievre’s track record shows he’s more interested in handing over tax giveaways to wealthy CEOs and their companies. When he was in government, the Conservatives gave away $55 billion in tax cuts to CEOs.

“New Democrats are focused on real solutions so that you and your family don’t have to worry about getting gouged at the grocery checkout. With the NDP you pay less and get more.”

 

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2025 Your Favorite Spot in Cowichan-Malahat-Langford calendar contest

If you would like to share your favorite spot in Cowichan-Malahat-Langford and have it included in the 2025 edition, submit your photo.

Submit your photo(s) by email to: [email protected]

Put CALENDAR PHOTO in the subject line.

Include the following information in your email:

  • Your name
  • The location of your photo
  • Your address, including postal code
  • A brief (40 words or fewer) description of your photo

Deadline to submit is September 1st, 2024

Important guidelines for submitting photos

Each year, a number of photos are disqualified from consideration because the image size is too small, or the images include humans. Following are some hints for choosing and submitting a winning photo:

  • Photos must be high resolution - at least 1MB.
  • Do not send directly from your phone. Image files are compressed by phones when they are emailed.
  • Upload your photo(s) to a computer or tablet before sending.
  • Attach the original high resolution image to the email (send as an attachment).
  • Pick a photo that will work with the shape of the calendar. Landscape is the best option.

Official Rules:

  1. Your favorite spot must be in the Cowichan-Malahat-Langford riding.
  2. Photos must be in jpg or tiff format.
  3. Photos cannot include humans.
  4. No more than 3 photos per household may be submitted.
  5. Photos must be colour and at least 1MB in size.
  6. Deadline to submit is September 1st, 2024

MP MacGregor's Bill C-277: National Strategy on Brain Injuries Act, passes unanimously at second reading vote

For immediate release

June 12th, 2024

 

NDP: A National Brain Injury Strategy will shine light on “invisible epidemic”

 

OTTAWA— On Wednesday, with a vote of 324 in favour and zero against, NDP MP Alistair MacGregor’s plan to create a national strategy for prevention, treatment, and awareness of brain injuries passed unanimously at second reading in Parliament.

 

“This is an important step forward for an initiative that started locally,” MP MacGregor said, “This work came about because of the passion and lived experience of several of my constituents, and I am so proud and grateful for their work. I especially want to thank Janelle Breese Biagioni from the CGB Centre for Traumatic Life Losses, Chris Rafuse from the Cowichan Brain Injury Society, and local advocate and brain injury survivor Kyle Mockford, among many others. Working together with community groups across Canada, Bill C-277 has become a national campaign for greater awareness, prevention, and treatment of brain injuries.” 

 

Experts say that many who experience traumatic brain injuries go undiagnosed and untreated because of stigma and lack of awareness. Even if they receive treatment, the current state of brain injury services and supports across the country is characterized by fragmentation, isolation, and chronic underfunding. Often, support services for families and brain-injury survivors operate as non-profit organizations with little or no government funding. Some of these organizations are teetering on the brink of closure.

 

“Well over 1.5 million Canadians have suffered a traumatic brain injury, and the long-term effects can be devastating,” said MacGregor. “Among them are an estimated 1 in 8 Canadian women, who have experienced a traumatic brain injury because of gender-based violence. I’m happy to see a national brain injury strategy get support across party lines.”

 

Bill C-277 has been endorsed by medical experts, people with lived experience, Brain Injury organizations across the country, and local municipalities including Duncan, Langford, North Cowichan, Nanaimo, and the City of Victoria.

 

For media requests, please contact [email protected]

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