Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre acknowledged the Port of Vancouver is on strike, saying it is “blocking billions of dollars of goods, driving up prices, and threatening jobs.” .“And the minister responsible is busy showing off his new sneakers,” said Poilievre in a Monday tweet. .“Any wonder why, after eight years of [Justin] Trudeau, so many families can’t pay their bills?”.Poilievre was commenting on Transport Minister Omar Alghabra saying on Sunday he has been loyal to the Adidas brand ever since he was a child playing soccer in Saudi Arabia..“Adidas was the shoe of choice for kids in the late '70s and early '80s,” said Alghabra. .He said the shoes known as the originals — black with three thick white stripes down the sides — were "a big deal." This nostalgia is what drives his current sneaker collection, which often turns heads when he strolls through the corridors on Parliament Hill or attends a G7 meeting, where his counterparts comment on them. .NDP deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice asked Poilievre to do better. .“Instead of being childish and focusing on a pair of sneakers, can you support the workers on strike?” said Boulerice. .Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay (South Surrey-White Rock, BC) said there is “nothing comfortable about a Port strike, disruption of supply chains that are already strained, and job uncertainty.”.“But hey!” said Findlay..“As long as the Minister of Transport has new sneakers while his feet are on his desk.”.The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said on Saturday it was concerned about the Port of Vancouver strike. .READ MORE: Canadian small business group denounces Port of Vancouver strike.“A strike could have serious consequences for our economy and our small businesses,” said CFIB Vice President, National Affairs Jasmin Guenette. .“Port operations must remain fluid so as not to exacerbate supply chain disruptions and put further pressure on costs at a time when we are still facing high inflation.”
