PM Justin Trudeau's Canada

[picard102]

I'm hard pressed to think of any recent news out of Ottawa that would have merited the shift.

Maybe PP "canceling" Justin's Christmas, and then not showing up to vote all night, pushed the needle.
Or the MP who complained about getting an answer in french.
Could be compounded with his go at the reporter as well.

 

[evandyk]

I have some experience advising retail employers with operations in every province, and complying with all of the different laws introduces pretty massive complexity (especially during covid when you had a whole new set of local and provincial rules dropping on you randomly).

There are definitely some errors in that chart. For example, it's actually a widely held myth that Ontario observes Civic Holiday in August. Although most people get it as a paid day off, it's not actually required in Ontario.

 

[Richard White]

For example, it's actually a widely held myth that Ontario observes Civic Holiday in August. Although most people get it as a paid day off, it's not actually required in Ontario.

This.

When I started with my current company, I acted as though it was a regular day and was about to come into work. It was not until my Regional Manager asked why I had not sent off notice telling people my office was closed that I realized I had the day off.

 

[PinkLucy]

Next, we have a piece suggesting that the Federal Innovation minister is in talks to bring a foreign grocer to Canada.

Federal industry minister in talks with foreign grocery execs to lure new supermarket chain to Canada

Federal Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he'd consider it a good thing if Canada's major grocery chains were upset about his talks with foreign players. "That's good if they're concerned,"

www.thestar.com

I'm not sure I buy this. Canada's big grocers are largely to hefty in size for any international player to pick-up, and there are few regional players left on which one could piggyback entry.

The reasons a foreign grocer would be hesitant to enter the market here are well known, and needn't be repeated; I'm not sure how enthused Canadians would be at the announcement of a billion dollar plus subsidy
to Aldi to enter the Canadian market.

And really one of the two Aldis, nord or sud (Trader Joe's, or Aldi, in the U.S. context) would be the obvious players. Lidl, is another German discount grocer whose name periodically comes up. The only other international player (non-U.S.) I can musing about it is Carrefour; but I'm not sure their balance sheet would permit it.

From the U.S. We already have Wal-mart and Costco here, and Target isn't coming back; that would see one look at the larger main-line grocers to the south and Meijer is really the only obvious fit. Publix is concentrated in Florida and H-E-B in Texas. Kroger is large, but I don't see it as a good fit for the Canadian market. That only leaves Dutch supermarket Ahold Delhaize which those familiar w/the U.S. market would most likely recognize as Food Lion.

We shall see.

I would really like a Piggly Wiggly. Just because.

Why aren't you loving Kroger? I had occasion to be in a couple of their newer stores earlier this year and was quite impressed.

 

[Northern Light]

I would really like a Piggly Wiggly. Just because.

Never been in one, will have to have a look see.

Why aren't you loving Kroger? I had occasion to be in a couple of their newer stores earlier this year and was quite impressed.

Exceedingly hostile to unions and their workers, have moved to eliminate family health benefits (spousal coverage) and taken a host of other anti-labour actions.

Also, they're not really a discount banner; but they're not Wegman's on the upmarket side, nor are they Trader Joe's in innovation.

They are a solid, middle-of-the-road grocer, who I think would hard be pressed to compete in the Canadian market under the constraints they would likely face.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I was in a piggly wiggly in South Carolina in some small town last year - it's a discount grocery outlet with nothing but the absolute basics. Think No Frills, but even less frills, small selections of fresh items and a heavy emphasis on dry and frozen discount goods. At least that location was like that.

 

[PinkLucy]

Never been in one, will have to have a look see.

I was in a piggly wiggly in South Carolina in some small town last year - it's a discount grocery outlet with nothing but the absolute basics. Think No Frills, but even less frills, small selections of fresh items and a heavy emphasis on dry and frozen discount goods. At least that location was like that.

They are all independently owned -- as a former independent owner under the IGA banner (a LOOOOOONG time ago) -- this can be problematic for the banner, because you get varying degrees of cleanliness, compliance, standardization, etc. I was just having a bit of fun, because the name is fun. And because you can (or at least could, I haven't been in one in a while) have a Pig Card that gives you extra savings, etc.

 

[lenaitch]

Harmonizing things such as stat holidays would probably be low-hanging fruit compared to the variations matters such as WSIB-type coverages, labour law, etc. To the variations between provinces you can also add federal employees and federally-regulated employees who live and work within the provinces.

Welcome to a federation. We have 14 jurisdictions and lag behind the US in productivity - they have 52 and their states are more sovereign, so I don't think matters such as holidays and pay rates are going to be a big driver of change. Even if it were, I can't see a federal government expending political capital on this when we have 3 provinces warring with them over matters of encroachment. If the provinces can come together on their own on some matter, then perhaps, but not a lot of successful history on that.

For instance, the U.S. subsidizes its dairy industry enormously, and actually has what amounts of a Federal Cheese Reserve.

Not only dairy. Agriculture is just one industry sector that is heavily subsidized in the US, a fact that is conveniently overlooked every time they howl about our socialist ways. Supply management, particularly in dairy, is a complex web that would not easily be unraveled without gobs of public money. You simply can't expect dairy farmers to write-off millions in quota value.

 

[evandyk]

Harmonizing things such as stat holidays would probably be low-hanging fruit compared to the variations matters such as WSIB-type coverages, labour law, etc. To the variations between provinces you can also add federal employees and federally-regulated employees who live and work within the provinces.

Don't even get me started! The pension regulators recently got together and signed a multi-jurisdictional agreement that really streamlines a ton of issues relating to pension. The employment law regulators, workplace safety insurance, occupational health and safety, etc. could take a real lesson from that.

 

[Northern Light]

Harmonizing things such as stat holidays would probably be low-hanging fruit compared to the variations matters such as WSIB-type coverages, labour law, etc. To the variations between provinces you can also add federal employees and federally-regulated employees who live and work within the provinces.

Welcome to a federation. We have 14 jurisdictions and lag behind the US in productivity - they have 52 and their states are more sovereign, so I don't think matters such as holidays and pay rates are going to be a big driver of change. Even if it were, I can't see a federal government expending political capital on this when we have 3 provinces warring with them over matters of encroachment. If the provinces can come together on their own on some matter, then perhaps, but not a lot of successful history on that.

Ah, but let me introduce you to the Interstate Commerce Clause which allows the U.S. Federal government to impose uniform labour rules on any business that does business in more than one state.

This clause is why the U.S. essentially has a uniform 40 hour work week.

States are free, in most cases to set higher than federal standards, though I'm not aware of any that don't follow the 40-hour rule.

The D.O.L.'s statutes affect 10M businesses and 150 Million workers; for clarity, there are only 168M Americans in the labour force. So that's over 90%

Not only dairy. Agriculture is just one industry sector that is heavily subsidized in the US, a fact that is conveniently overlooked every time they howl about our socialist ways. Supply management, particularly in dairy, is a complex web that would not easily be unraveled without gobs of public money. You simply can't expect dairy farmers to write-off millions in quota value.

Agreed

 

[afransen]

It would be nice for Aldi/Trader Joe's to come to Canada. I expect that the incumbent grocers would have a panic attack and launch their own similar formats to crowd out their entry.

 

[lenaitch]

Ah, but let me introduce you to the Interstate Commerce Clause which allows the U.S. Federal government to impose uniform labour rules on any business that does business in more than one state.

This clause is why the U.S. essentially has a uniform 40 hour work week.

States are free, in most cases to set higher than federal standards, though I'm not aware of any that don't follow the 40-hour rule.

The D.O.L.'s statutes affect 10M businesses and 150 Million workers; for clarity, there are only 168M Americans in the labour force. So that's over 90%

Different country; different constitution. They also have a uniform drinking age because they will withhold federal transportation transfers to any state that tries to go under 21. Who says bribery doesn't work.

I'm certainly no constitutional expert but; although "the regulation of trade and commerce" is within the jurisdiction of the federal government under Sec. 91, I'm not smart enough to know the scope of that. I do know that the courts have ruled that employment law is included in the scope of 'civil law' which is the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces under Sec. 92

Legalities aside, federal-provincial jurisdiction remains the third rail of Canadian politics. It used to be the federal government could get away with playing in the provincial sandbox if they threw enough money around but I'm not sure that is the case anymore.

 

[Northern Light]

Different country; different constitution. They also have a uniform drinking age because they will withhold federal transportation transfers to any state that tries to go under 21. Who says bribery doesn't work.

I'm certainly no constitutional expert but; although "the regulation of trade and commerce" is within the jurisdiction of the federal government under Sec. 91, I'm not smart enough to know the scope of that. I do know that the courts have ruled that employment law is included in the scope of 'civil law' which is the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces under Sec. 92

Legalities aside, federal-provincial jurisdiction remains the third rail of Canadian politics. It used to be the federal government could get away with playing in the provincial sandbox if they threw enough money around but I'm not sure that is the case anymore.

I don't envision federal forcefulness as the answer here; I envision something closer to consensus among the provinces; understanding the collective benefit, of the collective tradeoffs.

 

[tiffer24]

Oops.

The House of Commons imposed a $500 penalty earlier this year on Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer after he broke the rules by filming a partisan video in his parliamentary office, CBC News has learned.

The violation is mentioned in the Oct. 26 minutes of the Board of Internal Economy, a committee of MPs that includes Scheer. The committee oversees the operation of the House of Commons precinct and parliamentary resources.

"On July 19, 2023, the Board agreed to set an amount for payment as an appropriate remedy for non-compliance with the By-law in the case of the use of House of Commons resources by a Member to endorse a candidate in a nomination contest and accepted the reimbursement in the amount of $500 offered for non-compliance," the minutes said.

A source with knowledge of the matter said Khanna's campaign paid the $500 penalty to the House of Commons.

News of the penalty comes as Scheer — who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 2011 to 2015 — spearheads a push to force current Speaker Greg Fergus to resign after Fergus filmed a video tribute to outgoing Ontario Liberal Leader John Fraser while wearing his House of Commons Speaker's robes.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-khanna-video-penalty-1.7058353

 

[lenaitch]

I envision something closer to consensus among the provinces; understanding the collective benefit, of the collective tradeoffs

Ever the optimist!