A $2.5 Billion Subsidy to Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys

It’s budget week.

The Liberals introduced their plans to take us out of the pandemic and into a world without climate change.

Or did they?

They continue to throw money at gas-guzzling ventures, including the military, pipelines and food.

Let’s talk about food.

The federal Liberals are going to spread $2.5 billion in low-income support for food.

On the surface, this seems like a great idea. What poor people don’t want food, right?

However, you look at the plan for half a second and you realize that almost all of it will ultimately end up in the hands of Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys. You know … the very companies that were being grilled about their profiteering on the backs on average Canadians during the pandemic.

As monopolies exerting massive control over WHERE we buy our food in Canada, they are representatives of a broken system.

The Liberals had an opportunity to stick it to the Westons and others, but failed.

From a climate perspective, the issue is even more disgusting.

These food monopolies perpetuate the model of ‘food from anywhere, at any cost’, contributing greatly to carbon emissions with transportation and poor growing practices.

REAL policy about have been providing a grant or transfer with conditions attached.

For example: recipients would be required to provide a receipt showing that they used the money to spend on co-ops or CSAs, most of whom use organic / low emission practices.

Alternatively, they could have used $2.5 billion to establish grants or expanded local food charity support with a goal of connecting locally-grown food to those who need it most.

Other options?

• Funds to qualifying small farmers
• Greenhouse programs
• Requirement to change municipal building codes to at least allow lawns to be used for growing food, but possibly even require some dedicated space for farming

Unfortunately, the whole program is a complete pile of utter BS.

Canada is introducing a new rebate to help pay for groceries