MV councillor Mary Blank makes empassioned speech on cost of living at council

Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter

BARRY’S BAY – The Madawaska Valley Food Bank provided a letter to Township of Madawaska Valley (MV) council with an update on its operations and status of moving to its new location. Blank said she would like a resolution from council to send a letter to Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson, “regarding the price of food and availability to consumers.

“Over the last while, anytime you went to the grocery story, everyone is talking about prices and everybody is saying ‘what can we do, what can we do.’ Nothing can be done unless people get together and tell the government that they must step in.

“I do acknowledge that the federal government, with Bill C56, have decided to ask corporations to lower prices. I think we need that support from our provincial counterparts. We need that support from the local stores.

“We all know that in the summertime the prices go up because of the tourists. If that’s the case this year, we’re in big trouble. When you look at the report given to us at the April third meeting of how much the income is, a median household income, and that is 2.1 people, in the Township of Madawaska Valley, $52,000. What is $52,000? That’s for a couple. That’s 2.1 people in a household. What about the senior who as either a couple $17,000 or as a single $22,000 in a year, what does that get you once you pay your hydro.”

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