Re: the article on UVic students struggling with food insecurity.
In my day, when unjustified costs went up – now termed greedflation – our generation would boycott a business or product without social media. We saw gas wars or price drops. The power youth hold at their fingertips can change things if they would just connect on issues like food insecurity, gas prices, or products using inflation to make outrageous profits.
With the tool you have, select a grocery store, a gas station, or any venue you feel is taking advantage, and boycott it for a set period – two weeks would be a good starting point. The trajectory of grocery chain greed will change when it hurts them! Let them throw out dairy (instead of the farmer under the current dairy quotas set by the government), meat, fresh fruit and vegetables.
It doesn’t stop at fresh products. I was at the grocery store this past week and wanted a tin of Campbell’s soup for a recipe, had to pick my jaw off the floor when the price was $3.49 for a small tin. I skipped the dish, and I don’t mean ordering out! How can any grocery chain justify this price when in December 2021 I paid $1.89 for that same soup. I know this because I use mushroom soup in my stuffing every Christmas.
Young people hold more power than our elected to create change and take measurable action. Use an old but proven way to let the business world know, you’ve had enough and aren’t going to take it anymore! Believe me your parents, grandparents, neighbours, friends will support a cause – we are all struggling from this corporate greed!
An alternative, create a non-profit company, Food for Students; get grants and buy wholesale – you are a well-connected community, physically and virtually. A university’s job is to create “critical thinkers” – put this to work for you.
Jo-Anne Berezanski
North Saanich
