Canada’s 20 richest have collectively added $37 billion to their fortunes since March 2020, according to a recent report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Meanwhile the unemployment rate in Canada hit an all time high of 13.7 percent in May, with 1.1 million people still out of work. More than ever, many Canadians are struggling to make ends meet and food banks are doing a booming business across the country. The report notes that billionaires like Loblaws owner Galen Weston have seen their wealth balloon, while front-line workers stocking shelves and scanning groceries at his stores have continued to risk their health and that of their loved ones by coming into work.
The irony is that three of the largest Canadian grocery chains, Loblaw Cos. Ltd., Sobeys’ parent Empire Co. Ltd. and Metro Inc., each ended their $2-an-hour wage increases on the same day in mid-June. This shocking action took place despite the fact that the coronavirus pandemic was and is still with us. Some have called for an investigation by the federal Competition Bureau into what is perceived as “wage fixing” by these corporations. Unfortunately, unlike in the U.S. where wage fixing and other labour-related schemes are considered per se illegal and don’t require any proof of a negative impact, there is no such legislation governing wage fixing in Canada. In July, the top executives from Loblaw, Empire and Metro were called to explain their wage cuts in front of a parliamentary committee, but to no avail. Some parliamentarians are calling for a change to the Competition Act to allow the Bureau to investigate such “wage fixing” schemes. Hopefully, the current federal government will consider a legislative change.
Governments have often proclaimed that we are all in the fight against COVID-19 together. However, it would appear that some are in the fight more than others, while some are benefiting obvious expense of restaurants and the service industry. Anyone who shops for groceries knows that food prices have not declined, if anything they have increased greatly — especially for fresh more from the economic impact of the virus. Among those benefiting are the big grocers with more consumers isolating at home and depending on obtaining essentials from their outlets, at the produce. This has made it extremely difficult for families who are relying on temporary government assistance, some of which may disappear very shortly. Among those families are members who work in grocery stores, only to have their risk compensation shamefully terminated by billionaires. In light of the ultimate advent of a second wave of COVID-19, one can only hope that these big grocers will reinstate the earlier top-up wage increases. Seems to be the only right thing to do under the circumstances! Don’t hold your breath.
FROLITICKS 