scott biesenthal

StoneGate Farms. Husband to Kim dad to Sarah(RN just like Kim)and Curt(main man on the farm. Never forgotten and always in our hearts buddy RIP 💙).

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@barnhart_linda @PierrePoilievre You best do a fact check and ask a farmer ! Bill isn’t passed yet as the Liberals have held it up. So nice try ! Stick to what ya know !

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@eblais8 @merry123459 Sure but Mr dressup rolls his sleeves up and outs in a brand new pair of work boots and that’s not posing for the photo on a construction site. Doubt your Liberal leader has ever put in a days manual work. Let’s see if this liberal promise comes true

[DutchLibertarian @LibertarianDuty]

@AndrewScheer

[Dan Knight @DanKnightMMA]

Well, well, well, good morning, Canada! I hope you've braced yourself with a strong cup of coffee this morning because we’re diving deep into the never-ending theatrics of the Trudeau administration. And this time, it’s not another political blunder but rather the skyrocketing cost of groceries. Just when you thought it couldn’t get more laughable, it does.

The numbers are in, and they're staggering! Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up for this next gem. Are you ready? The cumulative inflation for your food from December 2021 to June 2023 is, brace yourself, a staggering 18.2%. That's right, in less then three years nearly one-fifth of your money's buying power has evaporated, just like that! Poof! But here’s the kicker: Trudeau had this very data in his hands in a report by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food—a report that he commissioned since last June. And yet, what does he do? Yesterday, almost four months after the report was published - opts for the political theatrics of summoning grocery CEOs and flirting with the tax hammer.

I almost have to admire the audacity. After an exhaustive, taxpayer-funded study, instead of heeding its recommendations, our Prime Minister thought a cup of tea in Ottawa with the grocery bigwigs was the golden solution. But Trudeau’s approach is like a bad poker player bluffing with a hand everyone can see.

Let's face it, the food sector is going through a whirlwind. Your local farmer? He’s not basking in the sun. His operating expenses surged by a jaw-dropping 16.1%. And our small and medium-sized food processors? They’re trapped in a quagmire of rising costs, from packaging to transport, battling labor shortages and supply chain disruptions. It’s a rough world out there.

Yet, while everyday Canadians are stretching every dollar, guess who’s making bank? Food and beverage retailers, with their whopping $1.8 billion in net income in early 2021. Oh, and those cozy profit margins? They've nearly doubled by the end of 2022.

Ah, folks, brace yourselves because this story just keeps giving. Now the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, bless their ever-so-diligent hearts, did their homework. I mean, they really put in the time: eight meetings, 58 witnesses from all sorts of sectors. What comes out of it? A report brimming with recommendations—good ones, by the way. But guess what's missing from their laundry list? Oh, you guessed it: Trudeau’s favorite catch-all solution—more taxes. That's right, not a peep about taxation, but plenty about transparency, competition, and fairness in the food supply chain. It’s almost as if these things might actually work. But lo and behold, it appears those pages in the report were conveniently invisible to our Prime Minister.

And hold on, because the comedy of errors is far from over. Trudeau, in what can only be described as a moment of divine inspiration, has decided to summon the CEOs of Canada's grocery titans to Ottawa. Oh, the imagery is rich! Picture it: a roundtable of executives, all nervously sipping on their double espressos, waiting for Justin Trudeau to bestow upon them his pearls of wisdom. It's as if Trudeau believes that an 'aha!' moment is just one boardroom away. Forget about the experts: economists, small-scale farmers, supply chain specialists. Why would we ever listen to them? No, Trudeau’s grand plan is a cozy chit-chat with the one-percenters.

Now here's the kicker: Trudeau wants to consult with the CEOs because, according to him, they have the best view on supply chains. Excuse me, Mr. Prime Minister, but you have a GODDAMN REPORT ON YOUR LAP! You heard from 58 witnesses, some of whom were these very CEOs! You've got the information right there, black and white, delivered to you on a silver platter. And you want more committees? The level of incompetence emanating from this Prime Minister is unparalleled. Saying he's sleeping at the wheel would be the understatement of the century. Ladies and gentlemen, if you're looking for a masterclass in how not to run a country, Justin Trudeau is apparently offering free lessons.

But of course, it’s Trudeau’s classic move. When the going gets tough, wave the threat of taxes. It’s like trying to fix a leaky roof with duct tape—temporary, ineffective, and bound to create more problems.

And let’s not even get started on Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, who seems to be singing from the same hymn sheet. His 'enough is enough' might sound catchy, but it lacks substance and action.

The Retail Council of Canada made it clear: there’s a world of issues from rising vendor costs to global conflicts that are influencing our grocery bills. But for Trudeau, why understand the nuance when you can flex the might of government intervention?

After yesterday's press conference, Justin Trudeau must've had a light bulb moment. "Wouldn’t it be just splendid if we had, I don’t know, some sort of government agency that reviewed, oh say, Canadian monopolies and competition?" Well, surprise, surprise! Enter stage left: Canada's Competition Bureau! Who could've seen that coming? Oh wait, just about everyone.

And you're not going to believe it—actually, you probably will. It turns out that Canada's Competition Bureau turned in their homework right around the same time as another thrilling read, "Grocery Affordability: Examining Rising Food Costs in Canada," authored by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. Now, don't rush to download these page-turners, let me give you the cliff notes. They've finally admitted what you and I have known since, oh, forever: Canada's grocery sector is an oligopoly. That's right, a small number of massive corporations are essentially running the whole show.

Now, this report, ladies and gentlemen, reads like an encyclopedia of "Well, duh!" revelations. They tell us we need more competition in the grocery sector. But you know what? Credit where credit is due. They've publicly acknowledged something we've all been screaming from the rooftops for years. So a tip of the hat to them for finally joining the conversation we've been having since what feels like the invention of the shopping cart. But you know what? At least they're stating it. It's high time someone in government recognized the tight stranglehold a select few grocers have over the nation's food supply.

But here's where it gets interesting. Amidst all these revelatory findings, there's a glaring omission of action about this lack of competition from our Prime Minister. Justin Trudeau is quick to point fingers at grocery store CEOs in press conferences, making for some great sound bites. But will he take on these grocery giants? Not likely.

See, Idea #2 suggests that large grocers should be broken up to foster competition. While it sounds noble, does anyone truly believe that Trudeau, who's been Prime Minister for how long now, will suddenly become the champion of the little guy and take on these colossal entities? After all, actions speak louder than words, and Trudeau's track record isn't exactly bursting with aggressive antitrust actions.

And then there's the Bureau's call to allow international grocers to set up shop in Canada. Idea #8, if implemented, might actually give Canadians a fighting chance at lower prices and better choices. It's a solid proposal. The world doesn't just revolve around Loblaw and Sobeys, after all. There are global players who can introduce a fresh perspective to our stale grocery aisles.

The Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food had a real brainstorming session as well. They came up with ideas that had the audacity to focus on—wait for it—actual competition. See the pattern? As if the only way to break the stranglehold of a few big players isn't to tax them to death but to introduce real, fair competition. What a novel idea, almost as if the free market could actually solve problems if it were allowed to operate freely. But, you see, these big grocery monopolies have been thriving not because of capitalism, but because of a lack of it—a distortion allowed and perpetuated by the government's inaction.

And oh, you've got to hear this. Some witnesses at the Committee, including the grocery CEOs, made an interesting observation. Apparently, these grocery giants aren't just profiting from selling you lettuce and cereal. No, they're also diving into cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and a smorgasbord of other retail goodies. So, the question beckons: how exactly do you impose a windfall tax on these empires when they're raking in cash from more than just your weekly grocery haul? What are you going to do, Mr. Prime Minister? Slap a tax on Joe Fresh clothing? Are you going to tax Walmart's flat-screen TVs?

You see, it's not just groceries padding these giants' wallets. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not against capitalism; it's monopolies that really grind my gears. And these grocery juggernauts are monopolies, make no mistake about it. But Justin Trudeau doesn't have the courage to let you in on that little secret. Instead, he'd rather keep you in the dark while these corporations continue to dominate the market, unchecked and unchallenged.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's cut to the chase here. All of a sudden, Justin Trudeau is concerned about grocery prices in Canada. Why now? Could it be he's finally seeing the light, waking up to an issue that hardworking Canadians have been painfully aware of for years? No, no, let's not kid ourselves. The real reason Trudeau is suddenly interested in your grocery bills is because he's sinking—fast—in the polls. Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives are not just nipping at his heels; they're sprinting past him into majority territory. The numbers don't lie, but politicians sure do.

See, Trudeau is a man more committed to the optics of leadership than the substance of it. He's a connoisseur of photo ops and soundbites, a master at packaging empty promises in glossy wrapping paper, but when it comes to actionable governance? Crickets. He's like the captain of a ship who's more concerned with how his hat looks than whether the vessel is sinking. And let's be honest, the S.S. Trudeau is taking on water.

And don't even get me started on the word "taxes," which seems to be his solution for everything. It's like he's gardening in our economy, but instead of pulling out the weeds, he's planting more! Taxes here, taxes there, taxes everywhere. If Trudeau had his way, we'd be taxed for the air we breathe.

So here's the question: Has Trudeau even read this groundbreaking report from Canada's Competition Bureau? You know, the report that actually outlines steps that could help Canadians and stimulate genuine competition? The report that's based on fact, logic, and a sincere understanding of market dynamics?

This goes beyond mere ignorance; this is a glaring failure of leadership. I mean, come on, we should've seen the writing on the wall back during the SNC-Lavalin affair. That fiasco alone should've been a red flag, a stark revelation of corruption and ethical lapses. But what happened then? Collective amnesia, particularly among our friends in Toronto, and the political theatre just kept on rolling.

For some context, let's remember Stephen Harper, a Prime Minister for whom integrity wasn't just a buzzword. Harper once reprimanded a minister, Bev Oda, for expensing a $16 orange juice—yes, you heard that right, $16 for a glass of orange juice. In Harper's administration, such a minor scandal was cause for public correction because integrity actually mattered. What a concept, right? Accountability, personal responsibility—those were more than just words; they were principles that guided governance. Ah, how the standards have slipped.

And let me make one thing crystal clear: I'm not here to play favorites. If Pierre Poilievre or any of his merry band of Conservative upstarts’ wade into the same murky swamp that Trudeau seems to luxuriate in, you better believe I'll be the first to call it out. Corruption is a non-partisan issue. It corrodes the foundation of any democracy, and it needs to be rooted out, swiftly and decisively.

The next election in 2025 can't be just about kicking someone out for incompetence—though let's not kid ourselves, that's a pretty big reason. No, it needs to be a clarion call, a resounding message to future leaders that Canadians won't stand for virtue-signaling ineptitude over competent leadership. We demand, we deserve, and we will hold out for leaders who can actually steer this ship without running it aground. That's not just patriotism, folks; that's just common sense.

#cdnpoli

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@TurnbullWhitby @FP_Champagne @SeanFraserMP Gst (5%) removed from new rental builds. Let’s use $600000 to build a duplex or triplex to rent out. Take 5% off that is $30000. I am no builder but is that going to make much of a difference? It’s a drop in the bucket. Doubt it’s enough to make a difference.

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@KamalKheraLib Yes rolling your sleeves up and putting your brand new work boots on is not how this gets done. 74 million for 2000 houses check your math in todays prices you wouldn’t even get a kitchen built for that.

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@M4MHA Our son Curt 24/12/1996 - 16/7/2018

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@KylerBorth26 And of course after I say that he delivers a double off the fence

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@dzoolander85 You say vote wisely ? Surely your not implying to vote red ? How wise would that be ?

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@dzoolander85 And voting red back in will solve Canada’s problems ? Let’s see wildfires. 2021 campaign Mr Dressup promised 500 million to train and purchase equipment. Didn’t happen. Foreign interference ? Won’t call a public inquiry. Why ?

[Dan Knight @DanKnightMMA]

In a time when ordinary Canadians are grappling with soaring grocery bills, a housing market that seems hopelessly out of reach, and the incessant pinch of economic uncertainty, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet are off to the idyllic setting of Prince Edward Island for a retreat. How fitting! While Canadian families are tightening their belts and cutting corners, it appears the elites in Ottawa are taking a scenic break.

Interestingly, Mr. Trudeau emphasizes that the affordability crisis is a top agenda item. But one must question: is a cabinet retreat the best optics when countless Canadians can't even afford the basics? Last month, our Prime Minister was in hot water for implying that housing isn't a direct federal responsibility. Yet now, amidst the serene landscapes of P.E.I, housing will be the central topic. Confused? So are we.

What's even more puzzling is Trudeau's penchant to pivot any criticism to the previous Conservative government. Instead of taking ownership and laying out concrete plans, he resorts to pointing fingers.

In classic Trudeau fassion he deflects and diverts. Instead of addressing the glaring issues right under his nose, he takes a trip down memory lane and lays the blame at the feet of the previous Conservative Harper government.

It's been eight years, Justin, perhaps it's time to stand on your own two feet? And let’s not even start on the housing crisis. The federal government has direct levers over this. With an institution like Statistics Canada at his disposal, giving him and the PMO all the data they could possibly need about the daily issues Canadians are facing, there's no excuse. Either he's turning a blind eye, or he's simply not up to the task.

Blaming Harper, who has a degree in economics? Give me a break.

From a press conference conducted last month, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre steps up to set the record straight. Poilievre, in a pointed rebuke, highlighted the blatant inconsistency in Trudeau's own words. Trudeau, who once vowed to address housing costs, now claims housing isn't a "primary federal responsibility." Yet, Poilievre keenly reminds us of the stark reality: The federal government is directly involved in policies affecting housing. Think about immigration, infrastructure, taxes, and let’s not forget the pivotal role of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. So, when Trudeau implies he has no hand in the ongoing housing crisis, one has to wonder: is he genuinely uninformed or simply evading accountability?

To give him credit, Poilievre isn't just about pointing fingers. He's offering actionable solutions: more building permits from cities, advocating for high-density housing around transit stations, and putting federal lands to good use for housing. In contrast, Trudeau seems more interested in painting Poilievre as a fearmonger, sidestepping real issues and mischaracterizing the Conservative leader's legitimate concerns as mere "anger."

"Justin Trudeau is upset that I am saying things are broken. Maybe he should stop breaking them."

Unlike some, it appears the opposition doesn't need lavish “retreats” to grasp and address the real issues Canadians confront. How refreshing.

In the grand tapestry of political maneuvers, this retreat might be a blip. But for Canadians facing the brunt of the affordability crisis, it’s a stark reminder of the chasm between them and those in the corridors of power. If Mr. Trudeau truly wants to address the affordability issue, he might want to start by being a bit more in tune with the challenges Canadians face daily. But then again, that might be too much to ask from the serene shores of P.E.I.

The tales of hardship I hear from Canadians like yourself every day are heart-wrenching. And yet, the out-of-touch antics from the Ottawa elites and the Trudeau administration feel like a slap in the face to those enduring these struggles.

Perhaps it's the comfort of their positions, or maybe it's just a testament to their sheer ineptitude. But the damage they've done, both in action and inaction, is evident. Their tone-deafness and disregard for the very people they serve is nothing short of infuriating.

Come 2025, dear readers, every letter, every cry for help, every tale of struggle under this administration – I'll remember. Trudeau and the Ottawa elites may be ensconced in their comfortable bubble, maybe even believing in their own rose-tinted version of Canada. But out here? It feels different. The sheer mishandling, the negligence, the failure to effectively manage any portfolio they've been handed – it's glaringly evident. And while I may occasionally wander off track, one thing remains clear: by the time we cast our votes in the next election, I'll make sure their parade of failures is front and center. Come 2025, Ottawa is in for a reckoning.

Prepare yourselves.

#cdnpoli

[Jacob (0-0) @JacobH1029]

@MattWallace888 Now they are being evicted if their homes didn’t burn in the fire…

[Jim Murphy @JimMurp77852985]

So the Star is now reporting that "some liberal mps" say they're frustrated. I suspect a great many are sick of Trudeaus nonsense and have been for quite a while. https://t.co/oTiWPd3ZYL

[Concerned Canadian @Concern70732755]

Who agrees for all Canadian politicians ??

[Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis @DrLoupis]

Why is nobody talking about this? https://t.co/39rcu88sTa

[David Perez @DavidCan2002]

@JustinTrudeau

[Shannon Stubbs @ShannonStubbsMP]

(1/7) Today, Trudeau’s Environment Minister has proven yet again that this Liberal government does not care about Canadians who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis the NDP-Liberals caused. Instead of helping Canadians with some relief, the #costlycoalition choose to...

[Pierre Poilievre @PierrePoilievre]

Explaining to Justin Trudeau how food ends up on his plate—and how his taxes make it cost more.

[scott biesenthal @skbiesen]

@bambkb @cafreeland One word. “Prison”