CORPORATE GIANTS SCREW OVER THE MAPLE LEAF !!!

Hey there, Midas Canada viewers, Resisters from all over, Charlie Angus here.We're talking maple washing.Yeah, when you go into the grocery store and you want to do your part for Canada to maintain the boycott, to show how much you care to defend our border and our sovereignty.And so you look for that maple leaf on the produce.And if you can't get Canadian, fine.You're looking for Mexico.

You're looking for fruit from Peru or Morocco.You are doing your part for this country.But what are the grocery giants doing?They're lying to you.They're sticking the Maple Leaf product label on and selling you American produce because they're too lazy to seek out local and regional and national and even international alternatives.And Lisa Blackburn, our gal from Nova Scotia, takes them on and she goes after Sobeys because Sobeys is so much part of the Nova Scotia story.

You expect better from your own, right?Well, We're going to talk maple washing.And speaking of maple washing, we're also going to look at the, remember when Mark Carney, our prime minister, suddenly threw out the idea that, hey, you know, as part of being independent, and as part of being sovereign, and as part of being strong Canadian nation in the 21st century, why don't we sell off our strategic infrastructure?Like, say, airports, and ports, and whatever, what have you.And you were like, what the heck was that about?Well, you got to look at the lobbying register and you got to see the big American money that's bugging Doug Ford calling on the Prime Minister to sell off key infrastructure in our nation.

That's another form of maple washing and we're going to expose that today as well.

OK, so what is it about the grocery giants in Canada?

The fact that they made record profits while you were struggling to pay your bills, that they were blaming inflation, they were blaming COVID.But we saw that their CEOs were getting more and more and more bonuses while you were paying more and more for less.And then came the boycott.And Canadians have been calling me from coast to coast to coast about their frustration with the grocery chains refusing to serve the needs and the interests.People want to buy Canadian.They want to buy local.

They don't want to buy American.They want to hold the boycott.And now what we've seen, rather than meet that need and rather than serve the public, they're putting on the fake Canadian sticker.to sucker the public.Now, I shouldn't be surprised that it was Loblaws doing this.I mean, Loblaws caught with price fixing, Loblaws, Mr. Galen Weston.

Remember when we gave, was it something like $28 million of public money to fix his freezers while he was setting himself up in a gated community in Florida?But Lisa Blackburn, our Nova Scotia voice, is very concerned that Sobeys is involved in this because Sobeys was the local success story, the folks in Nova Scotia you could trust that made a national name for themselves.Come on, Sobeys, you know you should be doing better and you're not.So we're going to look at that.But I'm also very interested, you know, I've been speaking up about this shocking news when the prime minister came out and said that he thought it was a great idea to sell key strategic infrastructure at this time, like airports, And then he mentioned ports.And I'd raise the question, well, who are we selling it to?

I mean, who's going to be able to buy airports?Oligarchs?American money?Saudi money?Chinese money?You know, it's this whole thing that they'll lower prices and you'll get better deals.

And we know, when have you ever, ever, ever, ever seen the sell -off of public assets to massive private companies and you got a break and you got a benefit?What they do is they drive down service and raise prices.You know, I was really concerned to hear him talking about airports when we saw what happened at LaGuardia Airport, where the night that that horrific Air Canada crash happened, there were only two people in the air traffic control tower.I mean, if you've ever flown into LaGuardia, you know what a busy airport that is.We have standards in Canada.Even small and regional airports here in the north have three people at least all times.

So I was scratching my head trying to figure out why the heck with the Prime Minister at this time, when he's rallying us to have a vision for an independent, sovereign nation, why would he be talking about selling off key infrastructure?Well, there's a really, really good article in the Toronto Star that I urge you to get.I know it's behind a paywall, but it's worth reading by Richard Warnicka, because he's writing about who's behind the push.for Toronto Island Airport, the Billy Bishop Airport.Now, of course, Doug the Grifter Ford, no surprise there.I mean, the guy who tore down the beautiful Ontario place, left it looking like a massive sore in the landscape.

So what, he can put in a spa, I don't know, a casino maybe, a Ferris wheel, something for his grifter friends.The man who shut down the science center, which was paid for with public money and educated generations of young kids in Ontario about science, what's he going to do, turn that over to condos?We're not surprised that Doug Ford is talking about expropriating homes off the island, and bringing in the jets, and doing the usual hoorah of,need business, we need investors, we need to turn it over to the private sector.But it's Prime Minister Mark Carney that surprises me.So what we're learning from Richard Warnock's article is that the group that basically owns the island is Newport Aviation.

So who are Newport Aviation?It is an asset controlled by the Infrastructure Investment Group, which Richard Warnicka says, quote, is staffed entirely by JP Morgan employees and run out of JP Morgan offices in New York as something akin to an in -house private equity fund.So we're selling our assets to JP Morgan.Tyson Slocum is a researcher and public citizen in the United States, and he was quoted in the article saying, all of the executives at the airport that's Toronto Island Airport, serve at the direct pleasure of J .P.Morgan.

He says if J .P.Morgan wants a new CEO in there, J .P.Morgan can unilaterally make those changes.So what we're talking here is that behind Newport Aviation is the massive U .

S.investment fund J .P.Morgan.And who has been lobbying the federal government?and the provincial government about expropriation, about expanding the airport, about adding the massive footprint for that airport.

Well, the lobbyists say they are working for Newport Aviation, but Richard Warnicka states that they haven't identified who they're actually working for, which may be in violation of the Provincial and Federal Lobbying Registry rules.You know, we need accountability.It's just like what Lisa says about the fake Maple Leafs put on produce.Canadians have a right to know who we are dealing with.And if we are selling key strategic infrastructure, key sections in the downtown of Canada's biggest city, we need to know whether or not they are a front for massive private equity firms coming out of New York.The prime minister needs to say, is this scheme to sell off airports and bridges and roads?

I don't know.What else can we sell?Is this being done?to facilitate the transfer of that land to J .P.Morgan?

Enough with the maple washing.Let's get some straight answers here.

But first, let's go to Lisa Blackburn in Nova Scotia.So for a lot of Canadians right now, grocery shopping has become political.I know it has in my house.People are checking labels, scanning shelves, looking for that maple leaf, and trying wherever we can to buy Canadian.And honestly, that makes perfect sense because Canadians are worried.Donald Trump is once again threatening tariffs and trade wars.

People are nervous about the economy and jobs, and they're definitely worried about affordability.And many Canadians have decided that, hey, if we've got to spend money anyway, then let's spend that money here at home.So when a grocery store puts a maple leaf beside a product, Canadians assume that means something.But what CBC uncovered earlier this month has a lot of people furious.A practice that shoppers are now calling maple washing.According to the investigation, grocery chains, including Sobeys and Loblaws, were using Canadian -themed shelf tags and patriotic branding beside products that were actually made in Canada.

States, not packaged in Canada, not distributed in Canada, made in America.And consumers say they have been misled.And now this story is going to hit much differently here in Nova Scotia, because Sobeys isn't just another grocery chain here.Sobeys is Nova Scotia.The company started in the community of Stellerton in Pictou County over a century ago.And for generations, Nova Scotians have taken pride in that.

People grew up trusting Sobeys because they weren't seen as some distant corporate giant.They were one of us.And for a lot of families, there is real emotional connection there.So for example, my former mother -in -law actually worked at the original Sobeys store, store number one with Sobeys family.It was back when the store was basically a general store on Ford Street in Stellarton.My daughter's first real job was at Sobey's.

And that's how deep the roots go in Nova Scotia.Sobeys wasn't just where people shopped.It was part of the community and part of the identity of Nova Scotia.And I think that's why this story feels so disappointing.Because Nova Scotians always believed that Sobeys would do the right thing.Even when grocery prices skyrocketed, even when people started getting angry at the grocery chains, there was still this feeling that Sobeys was different.

That they understood Atlantic Canada and working families and that they understood trust.And now that trust is starting to crack.Because if Canadians are actively trying to support local businesses and Canadian workers, and stores are using maple leaves and patriotic marketing to blur the lines, that's not clever advertising.That's manipulation.And look, to be fair here, nobody is saying that stores can't sell imported products.Of course they can.

Canada imports food.We always have.The issue here is transparency.If a product is American, label it clearly as American.If it's Canadian, then label it clearly as Canadian.It's not that complicated.

But according to shoppers interviewed by CBC, people believed that they were deliberately choosing Canadian -made products based on the signage that they saw on the shelf.And then they got home and discovered the product was American -made.That matters.Because this buy Canadian movement is emotional for people right now.Not just marketing, not just branding.For many Canadians, this is personal.

People are trying to protect Canadian jobs.We want to support local farmers.We want to support Canadian manufacturing.And we're trying to stand up for the Canadian economy.And some corporations appear to have realized that there is money to be made from that patriotism.And that's what makes people angry.

Because Canadians are already exhausted by grocery prices.We watched the grocery chains post massive profits while families struggled to afford the basics.We watched executives defend those rising prices while ordinary people cut back on food.And we watched affordability become a full -blown crisis in this country.And now we consumers are wondering, Are these companies even being honest with us when we try to buy Canadian?It's a dangerous place for a company to end up, especially for Sobeys.

Because Sobeys built its reputation on trust, not just confidence.or pricing, trust.Now to be clear, Sobeys did remove some of the maple leaf symbols after questions were raised.But for many of us, the damage is already done.Because Canadians are asking a bigger question now.How often is this happening?

And how many shoppers thought that they were supporting Canadian workers, when really, All they were supporting was another corporate marketing strategy.And maybe the saddest part of all of this, especially here in Nova Scotia, is that people wanted to believe better from Sobeys.They expected better.Because this company wasn't supposed to feel like some faceless multinational corporation.It was supposed to feel local, community -driven, and grounded in maritime values.And I think that's why this story stings.

It feels like a betrayal of something bigger than groceries at a time when Canadians are desperately trying to support each other.We don't want patriotic branding.We want honesty.So if it's Canadian, say so.If it's imported, say so.Because right now, Canadians are trying to make conscious choices with their money.

And they shouldn't have to conduct a forensic investigation in aisle 7 just to figure out where the pasta sauce came from.That's not patriotism.That's marketing.And Canadians are getting really tired of being sold both.Until next time, I'm Lisa Blackburn for Midas Touch Canada.

Okay, Manalisa, thanks so much for that.You are just... always spot on the money.We really count on your point of view coming in from the beautiful province of Nova Scotia, beautiful city of Halifax.Album of the Day, Rough Trade, Avoid Freud.okay Carol Pope she blew the doors off she blew the doors off art and gender that song high school confidential top 10 I think was number one in the early 80s in Canada Wow well that was a gender bender boom epic proportions.I've met Carol a number of times and I'm sort of always in awe when I see her.

Avoid Freud.Great album.Great letters and comments.We had the incredible interview with Sebastian Tao, the young Canadian who witnessed the abuse and the attacks and the rapes by Israeli officials against international aid workers.Sebastian, I think, represents the best of who we are as a nation, as a young Canadian standing up for our values.We have so many beautiful comments.

Karen Curtis writes, Oh my gosh, Charlie.It's horrific what happened to the aid workers.So thankful to you and Sebastian for sharing this with the world.The Israeli government must be held responsible.And Laurel writes, Sebastian, I'm sending you so much love.I'm so grateful you are home and I'm grateful for people like you working for the highest good.

Thank you, Charlie.In the absence of mainstream media, this topic needs to remain front and center here in Canada and on the global stage.Thank you both for your integrity.authenticity.And Jeff writes that the Canadian government hasn't spoken out about this, that the Canadian consulate did nothing on these Canadian aid workers behalf is very telling how well the Israeli lobby has influenced our politics.Well, I spent 20 years in politics.

I can tell you how effective the Israeli lobby is.There is no excuse in complicity and Canada bears responsibility simply by remaining silent in the face of this overwhelming evidence.Israel should be condemned and sanctioned as a terrorist state.and those who have aided and abetted their cause should be exposed and held accountable."" Also, great comments on the interview with Cor Blond.People loved it.

We've had so many responses from all over the world, and particularly in Alberta.And Tom writes, the headwaters of the Eastern Slope serve as the main source of drinking water and irrigation for over two million people in Southern Alberta.The wicked witch of the West doesn't care about people and its land.Water, not coal.Stop the UCP government from further poisoning our land.Remember Albertans who care.

When the water is poisoned, when the last fish is poisoned, you can't eat money.Thank you for that, Tom.And they're still trying to get Albertans to sign the water not coal .ca petition.Get on that right away.And then on the undermining of Canada by this separatist referendum being promoted by Don Bastaniel.

Tess Rue writes, thank you so much for pointing out that they don't need to win the referendum to cause harm to Canada.I've been trying to explain this to people because everyone dismisses it saying, oh, it's fine.They can't leave anyway.I think our government is not taking this seriously.I agree with you, Tess.I think these are very, very dangerous times, very dangerous moments.

We are looking at the Donbass playbook.We are looking at the Brexit playbook.And we need our government to stand up.And Ellen writes from the US.Elbows up, my northern brothers and sisters.Stand strong, Canada.

Thank you.Thank you to the resistors from all over the world who reach out every day.Midas Canada Town Hall is June 17th in Halton.We're doing the Midas Canada Town Hall at the Uniforce 707 Hall in Oakville.Type in Midas Canada Town Hall, Halton, Charlie Angus.It's going to be a great night.

June 18th in London.at the Marconi Club.Can't wait to get back to London.Same thing, type in Charlie Angus, ResistanceWe're doing that, we've been invited down by the local NDP asked us to come down and do the event.Each event that we do, we have a local group on the ground.

So if you're interested in getting a Midas Canada Town Hall Tour, contact us, we'll talk talk with you about how to set up a local group, what you need to do so that the Midas Canada Town Hall can come to you.We're going to be September 17th in St. John's, Newfoundland.Can't wait to be there.September 19th in Orillia.We have a number of other places we are looking at getting to very soon.So keep kicking in the darkness, my friends.

It will bleed daylight.

Will I see you there?