New Democrats urge the federal government to tackle corporate greed as Northern communities can’t afford food, fuel and a home

OTTAWA — As Northern and Indigenous communities get slammed the hardest by the sky-high price of food, fuel for their essential transportation and home heating and rent costs, NDP MP’s Niki Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) and Lori Idlout (Nunavut) called on the Liberal government to reform the Nutrition North program so funds go directly to people, not big box stores, and lower prices in the North by removing the GST on home heating.

Those initiatives should be paid for by tackling corporate greed through a windfall tax on big fuel, grocery and big box companies, say Ashton and Idlout.

New Democrats are demanding action at a time when Northmart, a prominent Northern grocery chain, saw tremendous profits — $157 million in net earnings, an increase of 9.7 per cent from 2020. While Trudeau protects the profits of large corporations, Ashton and Idlout said the NDP is fighting for families who need urgent relief now.

“For many Indigenous and Northern communities, the inflation crisis has devastating impacts. And yet, Indigenous and Northern communities have been left out of the conversation about greedflation. The Liberals have left Northerners to fend for themselves,” said Ashton.

The PBO estimated the New Democrats windfall tax proposal would generate over $4 billion over 5 years, and New Democrats would re-invest that money into programs, such as re-building Nutrition North, to help communities get by.

“Justin Trudeau is still listening to corporate CEOs instead of Northerners. They’re calling for relief — the NDP hears them, and we’re proposing practical changes to help Northern families pay the bills,” said Idlout.

Northern communities have been ignored for too long, and New Democrats will keep fighting for measures to help Northern communities and their needs.