The opposition leader is accused by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of “pretending” to be concerned about the high cost of groceries.
Following revelations that the consulting company of a prominent Conservative adviser has campaigned on behalf of supermarket behemoth Loblaw, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is requesting that the opposition leader clarify his stance on grocery prices.
Six Jenni Byrne + Associates employees are registered lobbyists for Loblaw Companies Limited according to the Ontario lobbyist registry. Jenni Byrne, a veteran Conservative strategist who oversaw Pierre Poilievre’s leadership campaign, serves as the company’s CEO.
Trudeau stated, “Pierre Poilievre has been standing up for months now pretending he cares about high grocery prices faced by Canadians,” during a media engagement in Waterloo, Ontario.
It transpires that his principal advisor holds a position as a Loblaws lobbyist. I believe Mr. Poilievre needs to provide some justifications to canadians.
Byrne’s identity as a consultant for Loblaw is not publicly listed on any registry. When asked for a comment, she remained silent.
“Let’s be clear about the facts here: Simon Jefferies, senior vice president of Jenni Byrne + Associates, stated in a written statement that Jenni Byrne is not and has never been registered to lobby on behalf of Loblaws.”
“The work JB+A does with Loblaws is limited to the provincial level and focused on expanded access to beer and wine and red tape reduction.”
The Liberals are attempting to discredit Byrne and Poilievre for their lobbying association for the second time today. Sean Fraser, the Housing Minister, brought up the matter on Thursday during the House of Commons’ question session.
One of the topics that has been debated the most on Parliament Hill is the price of food. During the recent sitting of the House of Commons, the issue of affordability has been the main topic of discussion.
As federal parties prepare for the spring session of Parliament, affordability continues to be a top priority.
The NDP, the federal government, and consumer advocates have all chastised Loblaw for declaring profits in the hundreds of millions of dollars at a time when food inflation was at an all-time high.
