Only On The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

Tariffs, Excuses, and the Grocery Till

Lately, I’ve been paying attention to what’s happening with grocery prices here in Canada, and something’s not sitting right. Every time the bill goes up, there’s a new excuse. Now, they’re blaming tariffs, the new ones coming from across the border. And sure enough, some of the stuff we bring in from down there is getting hit with extra charges, which means higher costs by the time it lands on our shelves.

But here’s where I start raising my eyebrows.

They say it’s a 25 percent tariff on certain things we import, like food, grains, and even packaging supplies. And yes, that adds up, but when I look at the size of the price hikes, it feels like someone is adding a little extra on top. Maybe more than a little.

Over the years, I’ve lived through my share of economic ups and downs, and I know when something smells off. Tariffs might explain a piece of the puzzle, but they sure don’t explain why everything from apples to oatmeal has jumped in price. And it doesn’t explain why the folks in charge of setting those prices seem to be doing just fine, maybe even better than fine, while the rest of us are squinting at the checkout, wondering what we can put back.

Now, I’m not saying these trade decisions don’t affect things. They do. But I’m also not buying the idea that this is all out of their hands. It feels more like they found themselves a convenient excuse and decided to run with it.

Any way, at the end of the day, us regular Canadians are the ones footing the bill again. And all we get in return is another round of reasons why things “had to” go up.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW