Jagmeet Singh wants practical measures to lower rent and grocery bills in fall economic statement « Canada’s NDP
TORONTO — On Wednesday, while rent and food bank usage are at a record high, Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called on the Liberals to use their upcoming fall economic statement to help Canadians coping with rent and grocery bills. After eight years of Justin Trudeau, Canadians are struggling to cover their bills, while big corporate landlords and big grocery chains are making massive profits. In third quarter profits reported today, Loblaw, Canada’s biggest grocer, revealed that profits are up by 11.7 per cent.
“People are working hard, playing by the rules and doing everything right, but life keeps getting harder,” said Singh. “People are forced to make impossible choices to stretch every dollar they have—they need fast relief. But the Trudeau and Poilievre corporate coalition keeps protecting the profits and corporate greed of CEOs that drives up prices.
“The fall economic statement is a good opportunity to truly alleviate the financial burden for Canadian families who have been feeling the squeeze instead of making things even better for CEOs. New Democrats want concrete actions to lower grocery bills and to build homes people can afford by investing in non-profit housing.”
Singh wants to see measures in the fall economic statement next week that will lower costs and put money back in Canadians’ pockets. New Democrats want the government to use federal land, money and power to build homes people can afford but the Liberals continue to announce the building of luxury homes that will benefit rich developers instead of hardworking people. New Democrats are calling for investments in affordable non-profit housing, an acquisition fund to keep people in their affordable homes, as well as low-interest financing for Post-secondary education institutions to build affordable student housing and for provincial and municipal governments to build public housing on public land.
New Democrats will also be looking for measures that will lower grocery bills like cracking down on corporate greed by making big grocery chains pay what they owe and putting money back into people’s pockets with another doubling of the GST rebate. The NDP wants the food items exempted from GST expanded and the implementation of a national school food program that the Liberals promised 4 years ago.
“After eight years of Justin Trudeau, life is harder for Canadians, because he keeps delaying action in order to protect his wealthy friends,” said Singh. “Trudeau’s out-of-touch Liberals are focused on building homes that you can’t afford – putting more money into rich developers’ pocket and less in yours. And Poilievre’s corporate-controlled Conservatives want to sell off government lands like Doug Ford to rich developers’ donors.
“New Democrats know who they stand for, you and your family. We will keep fighting to make life easier for you, not for the rich and powerful.”