In Essex, one of the common themes we are hearing at the doors and from those that are reaching out to our campaign is the concern and worry people are facing with the cost of everything is going up - grocery bills are up 5% and gas prices have skyrocketed (seen 1.40 yesterday!).

With inflation at the highest level in 20 years and rising, families are struggling to make ends meet.

We want and people need a government that will get inflation under control, lower prices, and make life more affordable for families.

Canada’s Recovery Plan will help Canadians’ pocketbooks by:

1. Lowering food prices by increasing the maximum fine for price-fixing from $24 million to $100 million;

2. introducing criminal penalties, including jail times, for executives convicted of price-fixing; and, bringing in a tough code of conduct to protect suppliers and to promote grocery competition.

3. Bringing in legislation on open banking so that Canadians can connect with financial technology (fintech) companies that can provide a better offer for banking services such as a mortgage, line of credit, or credit card.

4. Ordering the Competition Bureau to investigate bank fees.

5. Requiring more transparency for investment management fees so that seniors and savers don’t get ripped off, including requiring the banks to show investment returns net of fees.

6. Creating a technology task force within the Competition Bureau to examine whether dominance and anti-competitive behaviour of big technology giants is damaging to Canadian industry.

7. Giving our competition laws real teeth to prevent a few big companies from dominating whole industries and pushing up prices.

8. Standing up to corporate Canada and rejecting mergers that substantially reduce competition and lead to layoffs and higher prices.

The people of Essex are tired of the NDP and Liberal vision of higher taxes and higher costs of living.

People are struggling and Canada will be headed in a new direction with Chris Lewis Essex in a Conservative Government.

It is time to choose your future.