Economics

People inherently understand economics more than they give themselves credit for. Our current system is not quite right, but how do every day Canadians articulate that disparity?  The intentional grey areas of the economy do their job of creating a shield against understanding what is really happening. 

For the past 40+ years we were told to put our trust in a system; that deregulation, decentralization and trust in the market create more economic opportunities for growth and that profits from private sector investments trickle down to every day citizens.  This is not our reality.  There is a growing awareness of the economic, social and ecological systems that are failing.  Increasing economic competency, building resilient communities and harnessing collective strength, is a way to tip the power scales back to favour a more equitable system. Prioritizing public ownership over private interest ensures that resources are safeguarded for the benefit of everyone in the community. 

We have concrete examples of current failures in our food systems.  We know that large grocery chains price fix, mislabel cost per weight on certain foods and create a monopolized system leading to a lack of competition.  These practices are documented widely.  Our federal government just approved 'surveillance pricing' which allows companies to sell the same products at different price points to people shopping in the same location. Do we accept this reality or do we, collectively, fight back?

What can we do at the local level to stand up against unequitable practices? We can create civic awareness and education around predatory business methods. We can support and promote local businesses that invest directly into our local economy while ensuring that workers are not exploited nor put in danger in the race for profits.