“What can we do? We starve”

Following the exorbitant rise in the price of groceries, North Star went to talk to Canadian workers to get their opinion on the situation.

Edward, Vancouver

"It's crazy.  That's all I can say.  I've been through all the depressions and recessions and this is the worst.  I can't afford to eat. I get a quarter of what I used to, and I'm buying processed foods because I can't afford the healthy foods... It's corporate greed, there's no other way to put it. It's haves and have-nots. People are losing their housing because of the cost of food." 

Steve, worker, Vancouver

"Everytime I come in here [No Frills], it's a shocker.  Last week this coffee was $9.05, this week it's $9.99.  I just shop for what's on sale, and I cut back on the luxuries. I just eat once a day at 5 or 6 o'clock... I'm still working hard labour, and waiting for my pension... The rich keep getting richer and the poor get poorer. That's the way they like it. They want us to be broke and stay home and watch TV." 

Arnold, retired, Winnipeg

"What can we do? we starve... I have to live on $700 a month [Does your wife get 700 also?] Yes. So it's not much. Rent costs $800. So not much left.... " "They'd rather throw food away in the garbage than give it to the people cheaper. They should be charged for doing that. Artificially keeping prices up, they should be charged extra taxes, if they have to throw $1000 food away they should have to pay $2000 tax in taxes for waste.

Maïko, music teacher, Joliette

It's stressful, it's scary to imagine how far it can go, we don't know if it's going to stop, when it's going to stop, I haven't been terribly impacted financially for the moment, unlike many people... There are grocery stores that profited in a record way during the pandemic; certain groups of grocery stores like Metro, etc. We try to encourage them less; go to their competitors.

Germie, home care worker, Winnipeg

"lf they are increasing the prices of all of this [groceries] then the per hour [wages] of every human, every worker should also get higher, yeah?... They should also increase our salaries!... Having three kids, I can see the prices doubled in shopping. Usually it's more than 100, but now for this one week it's double. It's really really affecting us too much."

Sylvie, retired teacher, Joliette

''On a psychological level, I am angry. It doesn't make sense. I didn't mind paying a little bit more at first, considering the circumstances of life. But now it's ridiculous, it's awful. I'd like to know, how much is the profit? For all grocery stores, basically. Because I'm willing to pay a little more, but not if they just make a profit."