To kick-off 2025 and in advance of our upcoming federal election, I wanted to share with you a quick video I can’t stop thinking about. We badly need fair prices, consumer protection, and public competition.
With a little imagination and organizing we can rebuild our public services, the proven check and balance for democracy.
Canadian comedian and independent journalist “The Goose” put together a cheeky video about how Canada lacks competition and has too many monopolies.
A lack of competition, criminal behaviour, false advertising and greed, is denying us consumers choice, making life more unaffordable, and endangering our health. The video borrows from and includes an interview with the authors of the book, “The Big Fix”. If you only have a few minutes, you can skip ahead to the “solutions” portion at the 40 minute mark.
There is a direct connection to the City of Edmonton. I think about the video each time I pass by gas stations with strangely similar prices, when I look at the price of meat in the grocery store, or look at the outrageous prices we pay for our home internet or cell phone bills. I look at our profit-driven housing crisis: rent money from a bank, space from a landlord (that might be a real estate investment trust), or... hope you chose wealthy parents?
Please send me your feedback to the video. I didn’t know for instance, (click the section on Total Control) that Rogers was in Agriculture, or that Canadian Tire owns many of the brands they sell within Canadian Tire. We lose real choice and competition becomes an illusion. I didn't know that because of big tech and data, never buy a product with skulls on it because it will hurt your credit score. Creepy.
We badly need consumer protections, anti-trust lawsuits, and regulators to prosecute greed. But what do we do when our entire lives are becoming financialized?
These are services that we own, and the profit is reinvested into our community.
No wonder these beloved services are under attack every election by the advocates for austerity and privatization. The highest-paid executive on the list for 2023 is Patrick Dovigi, the CEO of waste management company GFL Environmental Inc., whose total compensation in 2023 reportedly came to $68.4 million.
You may know that Edmonton used to be a leader, offering a public telephone and internet service provider until they were privatized. Now, we pay even more to receive even less while we watch Telus and Rogers enrich themselves onto the Maclean’s list of the richest Canadians.
It’s incredible what neighbours can accomplish when we remove profit as the driving motive. My father was born on a farm in Saskatchewan pre-public health care. His father probably had to pay cash. We are barely one generation away from pay-to-play heath care, which wouldn't have been achieved without the hard-fought organizing of the community.
Cities can lead. As 1 in 10 people now rely on food banks to survive, and one-quarter of food banks clients are children and youth, Toronto City Council committed to a universal student nutrition program.
Hope is all around us. Look at the history of the community league movement in Edmonton, or the cooperative movement in Alberta, and you’ll find hope and inspiration against uncertainty. Rejoin your community league and start a conversation about your pain points- those seeds can be the start of great solutions.
Happy New Year!
“This is YOUR rec centre. WE OWN this rec centre.” That’s what I tell my children and it is worth reminding ourselves of this as adults too.
The sign may be worn over decades but the message is the same:
“Edmonton public recreation facilities are for everyone! Recreation facilities are vibrant places for people of all ages and abilities. They provide places for neighbours to gather, relax, and enjoy physical, social, cultural, and artistic activities together. Recreation facilities help build strong and active communities.”
Via the featured video: The Corporate Canada Flag: https://www.instantdistractions.com/products/corporate-canada-flag-pre-orders
Pre-order The Corporate Canada Flag and display the 30+ companies dressed up in a trench coat that make up our nation. Each corporation featured on the flag is a monopoly, oligopoly, has an outsized market share in Canada, or is otherwise problematic for reasons that will be included on the legend that comes with every flag. From banks and transportation to food and real estate, Canadians are beholden to the whims of these corporate powers. Includes all your favourite companies like Loblaws, Cineplex, BMO, Tim Hortons, Rogers, Bell, Air Canada and even some Monopolies only locals in Calgary will know like Pursuit!
We recently received a memo from city administration about the "state of pickleball" in Edmonton, and I wanted to share this with you.
Many a time I’ve been out walking or cycling in the river valley and found myself in search of a bite or a beverage. We have a couple of great spots that I think could be much more.
Big developers are trying to convince Premier Smith to force Edmonton to allow even more sprawl. Meanwhile, our annual climate survey shows Edmontonians want urgent action on climate change. Adding density and subtracting car trips can have an outsized impact on ensuring clean air and water for all. Big developers backdooring more urban sprawl via the provincial government is absolutely the wrong path forward.
