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She buys all her groceries across the U.S. border — and finds big savings | CBC Radio (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Cost of living is a lot worse now than it was 50 years ago.

What about four years ago?

As mentioned earlier, Bernier tried to make it an election issue in the 2019 federal election. First by making it his platform in the CPC leadership race. When that failed, he created the PPC party on that platform. When that failed to attract any support he gave up and went to crazy town, but he made it something we were talking about for a while there. It was also front and centre during the USMCA talks.

And it became abundantly clear that Canadians have no interest in seeing it change.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What about four years ago?

Not even close, from what I can tell. Annual inflation alone went up 9x more in 2022 than it did in 2020, and around 3x higher than any other year since at least 1990.

Groceries, housing, and gas are also significantly higher now than they were in 2019. And 2023 inflation rates appear to be 2-5x more as rates continue to be soul-crushingly high.

I think the majority of Canadians either don't believe they have the power to force the government to change, or don't know they can. Our voter turnout rates should give you an idea why change hasn't happened.

Personally, if I lived closer to the border, I'd probably be grocery shopping stateside, too.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Groceries, housing, and gas are also significantly higher now than they were in 2019.

That doesn't imply they are less affordable. Earnings are up 20% since 2019. CPI, which includes those things you mention, is only up 16% over the same period. Retirees on a fixed income may be feeling the pinch, but they more than anyone have been hearing the same story for 50 years.

I think the majority of Canadians either don’t believe they have the power to force the government to change

While that is true, it is clear they don't want things to change in this case. We had a national discussion about it not all that long ago. The people made their case for why they don't want it to change, even knowing that it costs us more.