Meat Pricing Investigation

A CBC News investigation has found that some stores owned by Loblaw and Sobeys are continuing to overcharge customers for underweight meat, despite previous promises to rectify the problem. The investigation uncovered instances of misweighed meat at several locations.

Karen Weber, a resident of the Halifax area, purchased four beef briskets last year from a Loblaw-owned Superstore and found they were all underweight. She stated a store manager promised to fix the issue, but a subsequent purchase this year of four more briskets also revealed they were underweight. Weber said, “I would have to say I was pissed. Every single package was off. Every single package.” The total calculated overcharge for this year’s purchase was $2.58.

One year ago, CBC News initially uncovered several Loblaw and Sobeys-owned stores selling misweighed meat, which appeared to have been weighed and priced with the packaging – a federal violation. Grocery giants Sobeys and Loblaw stated they took steps to address the problem. However, the recent investigation found more misweighed meat, including beef briskets at Loblaw-owned Superstores in the Halifax area. At Sobeys-affiliated stores, CBC found underweight poultry at two Safeways and at Thrifty Foods in North Vancouver, as well as underweight organic chicken at two Farm Boys locations in the Toronto region. Calculated overcharges ranged between 2 and 17%.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) stated it is committed to protecting Canadians and stepped up meat weight inspections following CBC’s investigation last year. Loblaw and Sobeys declined on-camera interviews. In an email, Loblaw apologized for the misweighed beef briskets and said it has reviewed protocols with staff. Sophia Harris of CBC News led the investigation and reported from Toronto.

British Columbia Toxic Drug Crisis

Today marks 10 years since British Columbia declared the toxic drug crisis a public health emergency. As of today, more than 18,000 British Columbians have died due to toxic drugs since 2016, when the province made the declaration.

Janet Milbrat shared that Mother’s Day 2022 was the last time she saw her son, Liam. She recounted a hug and exchange of “love you”s before his death just days later from an overdose. Milbrat stated, “He wanted help. I think he would have eventually sought it out. He didn’t get a chance.”

British Columbia’s Health Minister stated the province has tried many things over the decade to save lives, including expanding addiction treatment services and providing uncontaminated drugs to some users. She noted that some initiatives, such as opening more detox beds, were more effective than others. She said, “It’s important for all of us to… learn and to try new tools, to listen to the experts and take their advice and recommendations, but make public policy decisions too in the context of the society that we’re living in.” The government walked back some initiatives due to public pushback and safety concerns, including not extending the decriminalization pilot project allowing adults to carry small amounts of hard drugs and tightening rules for its safer supply program.

Some drug policy experts expressed concern that the province is leaning more on public opinion than on science to inform policy. Yasmeen Renea reported for CBC News from Vancouver. Currently, on average, five people die of overdoses every day in British Columbia. While more people have access to treatment than ever before, with the government expanding services province-wide, deaths are only slightly down.

Federal By-Elections and Liberal Majority

The Liberal Party’s Tatiana Auguste won the federal by-election in the Montreal area riding of Terrebonne, defeating her Bloc Québécois opponent by more than 700 votes. Terrebonne was previously a Bloc Québécois stronghold. Jennifer Yoon reported from Bloc Québécois headquarters that the party’s campaign focused on local issues, such as a planned high-speed rail line that would bypass Terrebonne, and the argument that the Bloc is best suited to represent Quebec’s interests.

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet did not make a speech or appearance at the end of the night. Yoon noted that Blanchet is one of only two leaders in Parliament, along with Elizabeth May of the Green Party, who can say that none of their caucus members defected to the Liberals. The vote count will need to be validated before becoming official.

A new report examines the implications of the Liberal majority, calling it “one of the more unique majorities in parliamentary history.” Aaron Wary’s analysis, available on the CBC News website, discusses what the Liberals can now do and the potential risks, including complacency.

Update

According to the latest broadcast, political analysts discussed the role of opposition MPs in holding the government accountable, emphasizing their importance beyond simply obstructing legislation. One analyst stated that opposition members perform a “useful work” by exposing wrongdoing and forcing ministers to answer for their portfolios, while government MPs primarily “wave things through.”

The discussion also touched on the implications of MPs crossing the floor. While acknowledging potential cynicism among the public, analysts suggested the issue is primarily for the floor-crossers to manage with their constituents. It was noted that government backbench MPs have a role to play beyond simply rubber-stamping government decisions, and may begin to “flex their muscles” as the Liberal majority grows.

Analysts pointed to the recent support from approximately a dozen Liberal MPs for an NDP private member’s bill as a small example of this potential shift. They predicted that Liberal backbenchers may seek more substantive work, such as more aggressive questioning of ministers at committee or initiating studies on various issues.