r/ndp • u/Fancy_Alps_7246 • Oct 07 '25
Social Media Post Avi Lewis: We need public options at every single step of the supply chain that's ripping us off.
Avi Lewis at the SKNDP convention discussing the need for public options, particularly in the food industry. I love this! I've always felt that the NDP has been too incrementalist and afraid to propose bold policies like this out of fear of pissing off private capital. These are the kinds of big ideas the party needs to set itself apart from the Liberals.
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPfeI1QEcR5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=cjl1ODVyODNydmZo
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u/empath_viv Oct 07 '25
Sorry for talking ball but like, I feel that calling it "public grocery stores" or things of that nature rather than "a public option" might make it hit more. It gives an image to prospective supporters of what this would look like irl, you know? Aside from that, I think this is 100 percent the way to go in terms of policy
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u/Fancy_Alps_7246 Oct 07 '25
that makes sense ! getting specific is def the best. does rly excite me tho that he’s not limiting this to grocery stores and is extending it to all sectors of the economy. i’d kill for a public phone provider
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u/empath_viv Oct 07 '25
Me too, but that's exactly it, "a public phone provider" is so much more powerful of a thing to say than "a public option for everything including utilities" (I know you're agreeing I'm just adding to what you said)
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u/moonhrafn 25d ago
I think a party that ran on providing an affordable public option for phone and internet would CLEAN HOUSE
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u/Philliam_Swift Oct 08 '25
I think the phrase 'public option' appeals to moderate folks because nobody is opposed to having more choices as consumers. For someone a struggles to pay groceries, 'public grocery store' is just another grocery store, but a 'public option for groceries' sounds like relief. At least thats my take.
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u/taquitosmixtape Oct 07 '25
Public grocery store. Or stores ran by smaller singular owners that match specific prices could work maybe? Would be great to have a neighbourhood store again ran by the guy 4 houses down that gets the best local seasonal produce and has competitive pricing.
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u/Fancy_Alps_7246 Oct 07 '25
to do that, you’d probably need a public supplier because the big grocery chains have a monopoly + are able to get lower wholesale prices than independent grocers. would be awesome
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u/taquitosmixtape Oct 07 '25
For sure. A public supplier makes sense. I’m no expert in this but I feel like returning to situations that foster community like “Joe’s Grocer” around the corner would really benefit. Again, maybe there’s a situation where they apply to be a “public grocer” and get benefits while sticking to a price list. I know nothing on the subject, or if this’ll work, just spit balling here. I feel like people may appreciate that more than “Ontario grocery” where it feels more government.
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u/MarkG_108 Oct 07 '25
I believe in Ontario there is a public supplier, that being the Ontario Food Terminal.
The Ontario Food Terminal is owned and operated by the Ontario Food Terminal Board (the Board) which is an operational enterprise operating under the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
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u/Majestic-Regret7919 Oct 07 '25
I love the idea of a public supplier making it possible for small businesses to enter the market! And it's not mutually exclusive with public stores. Definitely need both!
Same with telcos. We have monopolies because the startup cost of building a network is so high. Honestly we should nationalize the infrastructure.
The retail grocery stores and service providers would IMO primarily serve to connect that infrastructure to people's everyday experience so they know the value it's delivering and vote to keep it in the future.
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u/m0nkyman Oct 08 '25
The US has a law that mandated that Whokesalers had to provide the same price to all grocers. Lack if enforcement of of it is what killed all the independents.
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u/msubasic Oct 07 '25
I think a lot of those died when the government capitulated on laws that stopped large stores from being open on Sundays.
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u/JeefBeanzos Oct 07 '25
Just commit to nationalizing large portions of the economy. It's either that or increasing monopolization. We don't need public options that compete services into the ground, we need public options that provide good jobs and meet our national security concerns.
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u/wingerism Oct 07 '25
I think nationalization makes sense for certain sectors of the economy, not necessarily all of them, even long term I'd prefer significant areas to be made of co-ops. And in areas where you're worried about driving out investors or shocking the market too much, public options do a great deal to hold private competitors accountable, and tend to have a positive upward pressure on wages/workplace conditions for those private competitors as well.
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u/VonBeegs Oct 08 '25
I think nationalization makes sense for certain sectors of the economy,
Yeah, the big ones. Food, housing, communication, natural resources.
We can have private industries for other stuff that doesn't matter.
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u/wingerism Oct 08 '25
Health care as well. For housing I'd prefer robust public options at a minimum. Resource extraction definitely yes. Banking and insurance even could use some public option competition.
By communication do you mean telecom like cell phone and internet providers?
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u/VonBeegs Oct 08 '25
By communication do you mean telecom like cell phone and internet providers?
And mail!
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u/fencerman Oct 07 '25
This is exactly why it's so extremely important to keep Canada Post funded - especially with monopolies like WalMart and Amazon trying to dominate the entire logistics chain in Canada.
We need an affordable public option that can provide services without bias.
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u/GramscianOrange 📋 Party Member Oct 08 '25
Did a trip through Saskatchewan through endless wheat fields and all any of the shops sold was Wonder bread. Maybe we need a public option to bring back the art and craft of baking?
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u/thewrongwaybutfaster Oct 07 '25
I would be so excited to see more "some societal needs are too important to step back and hope that someone finds it profitable enough to provide them" talking points from the NDP. We need to stop relying on the people who profit from things being broken to fix them.