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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 254

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 23, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 254 - Nov/23/23
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Nov/23/23 11:10:15 a.m.
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Uqaqtittiji , this is such an important bill, especially for Nunavut, given that the price of housing and the price of groceries are so high and that it is so difficult in Nunavut. I would love to have seen more conversations about how we could make improvements, and I think the bill would do just that. It is unfortunate that we are discussing closure. If I understand it correctly, and maybe the member could help me understand it better, it is because there has been a lot of filibustering in the House, not just during debates in the House of Commons but also in committees. I had the unfortunate experience of replacing a colleague of mine at one of the committees yesterday, and all I sat through was Conservative filibustering. I wonder whether the minister could explain the cost of filibustering and why we needed closure.
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Context: House Hansard - 254 - Nov/23/23
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Nov/23/23 1:00:41 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, this bill is particularly important for Nunavut because it addresses housing and affordability, two major issues in my riding. To give an example of current grocery prices, a one-litre bottle of orange juice is $17 and one case of bottled water is $28. Even programs like nutrition north are not working. I wonder if the member can share with us how this act would help to reduce grocery prices in places like my riding.
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Context: House Hansard - 254 - Nov/23/23
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Nov/23/23 1:28:38 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, I am glad that the member was talking about prosperity. In my region, retail grocery stores outside my riding are allowed to prosper by being subsidized by the nutrition north program. I think that the bill before us is particularly important so we could ensure that nutrition north becomes a social program that would change that system so it is not subsidizing for-profit grocery stores, so my constituents can also prosper. Does the member agree that the nutrition north program needs to tax the rich grocery stores better and become a social program so my constituents can also prosper?
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Context: House Hansard - 254 - Nov/23/23
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Nov/23/23 10:51:03 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank the member for taking this debate seriously, unlike the previous MP, who chose to use her time to entertain people and possibly create some kind of platform for future entertainment. Knowing that Canada's three largest grocers, Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro, made more than $3.6 billion in combined profits in 2022, it is good to see that the Liberals are finally talking to CEOs and asking them to stabilize prices, although just nicely. I hear from this member that we have to be more serious about how to make better efforts to amend the Competition Act and bring more grocery competition into Canada. I wonder if the member can share his thoughts on how we could make sure that we can bring grocery prices down.
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Context: House Hansard - 254 - Nov/23/23
Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)
  • Nov/23/23 11:23:59 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, I would like to thank my colleague for reminding the House about some of the issues I have brought up regarding indigenous peoples. It is absolutely an injustice indeed that there are so many cuts being anticipated and that there are great gaps, such as the $350-billion infrastructure gap for first nations. That figure does not even include infrastructure gaps for Métis and Inuit, but I will get back to the debate on this important bill. It could have great impacts for Nunavummiut, who suffer the most for lack of housing, as well as the cost of living. Could the member share with us why this bill is so important, not just for northerners but for all Canadians?
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