What is driving food inflation and what can be done about it...
Brian Lilley speaks with Sylvain Charlebois, AKA The Food Professor.
You might see Sylvain Charlebois talk with other media outlets, but he and I have been talking for years and have a different kind of chat. I’d even say it’s a better one.
We chatted again this week after the latest inflation report came out showing grocery prices up by more than 30% over the last five years.
And you should see what he says about the prices of beef, chicken and pork.
You can also read my analysis in the column published at the Toronto Sun.
And my column on the idea of a city run grocery store is here.
It's not all that difficult. What is obvious is that escalating prices are due to the injection of taxes and regulations at all levels of production, transportation, distribution and consumption.
An economy can stand taxation and regulation up to a point And at low levels it can actually be stimulative if it goes to providing security, infrastucture and *supportive* services to the above.
If it goes to graft, and nonproductive purposes it is an increasing drag and points the economy downwards.
At some point the burden becomes too much and the economy begins to sputter and die.
That's where we are right now and I'm not even sure that this was an accidental effect because Liberal governments have been experimenting with how much they can get away with for years now.
Tighten your belts. We are in a controlled flight into terrain with madmen in the cockpit.
Over spending and taxes