I will start by thanking you for making your comment in French.
You make a good point. During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food, or the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology—I am not certain which committee it was, I heard several things on this subject.
Representatives of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, which represents about 6,900 members across Canada, said that one of the most complex problems concerns grocers in remote regions or in rural regions. They gave examples in northern Saskatchewan, if I recall correctly, and northern Alberta, or even indigenous communities living in the north. The dynamic in those places is even more complex.
I would say that given the powers that would be granted by Bill C-56, we should consider undertaking a study on this subject.
What is concerning is that the big food product manufacturers are sometimes less inclined to sell to independent grocers. A shortage, such as we experienced during the COVID‑19 pandemic, then causes problems. I was told that there were products available in big chains in a city located in a remote region while the independent grocer carrying on business in the same city did not have access to them.
The fact that food product manufacturers gave priority to the big chains over independent grocers should be the subject of a study by a committee. I am not persuaded that the motion that has been made, or Bill C-352 sponsored by Mr. Singh, would necessarily have the desired effect. I think the cause has to be tackled.
The cause may have been connected with the contracts that favour the big chains at the expense of independent grocers. There may be a study to be done to get a better understanding of the market dynamic.
