Canada’s supply chains need overhaul amid ongoing shortages, critics say

Critics of the federal government are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to rethink Canada's reliance on global supply chains amid the ongoing shortages on consumer goods.

Opposition parties say the federal government should use the current snarl in global supply chains to rethink the country’s reliance on foreign suppliers.

Conservative critic Ed Fast says the Trudeau Liberals should prioritize investments in trade corridors and ports to improve the movement of goods through and out of the country.

He adds there should equally be a focus on shoring up North American supply chains.

NDP critic Daniel Blaikie says a continental plan should involve government planning with the private sector, particularly for critical goods for public health or manufacturing.

Still, opposition critics and experts say there is much out of the reach of the government and backlogs will simply have to work themselves out over the coming months.

The trading bottlenecks have helped drive up the cost of many consumer goods, which Blaikie points to as a reason why the Liberals shouldn’t have cut emergency benefits to workers last month.