75-Minute Debate (24 November 2022)

From Hansard (24 November 2022)

 

Food Pricing in Saskatchewan

The Assembly was debating the following motion moved by Trent Wotherspoon (NDP - Regina Rosemont):

That a special committee for food pricing be created to examine food price issues in Saskatchewan, including but not limited to factors relating to supply chains, manufacturing, transportation, and anticompetitive corporate practices impacting the price consumers pay for food in grocery stores; factors related to meat processing and packaging that increase prices for consumers and decrease prices paid to livestock producers; and factors related to disproportionately high prices for food in northern Saskatchewan; and further,

That the special committee on food pricing may co-operate, correspond, and share information with the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and/or the Competition Bureau of Canada as needed.

Mr. Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Since 2007 Saskatchewan has been a national leader in affordability initiatives, with over $2 billion in investments made that puts more money, that puts more money into the pockets of people in this province.

The federal government tag team of Justin and Jagmeet are causing inflation to skyrocket because of the ineffective carbon tax and its reckless spending. This is making life less affordable for Canadians.

On one hand the NDP opposition complain about inflation, but on the other hand they endorse the high inflation by supporting the punishing economic policies by their federal leaders, Justin and Jagmeet, on our agricultural producers. Mr. Speaker, it can’t be both ways.

Will the member from Saskatoon University acknowledge that the carbon tax is the primary driver of inflation, increased food prices across the country? And will they unanimously support our Sask-first legislation to defend our agricultural producers from federal overreach?

Ms. Bowes: — Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So to the member’s question, you know, despite that side’s continued obsession with carbon tax . . . It’s all they talk about. It’s all they think about. They are obsessed, Mr. Speaker. So I do not agree that it is the primary driver. No, I do not. Do I think that it could have contributed to increases in food prices? Yes. I mean, I think due to transportation there would have been an increase.

But instead of endlessly droning on and on about the carbon tax, why don’t these members get to work making life more affordable by striking this special committee on food prices instead of being one-trick ponies as they always are?

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