The Financial Post reports in its Thursday, Sept. 21, edition that in the debate over soaring food prices in Canada, it is tempting to lay the blame at the feet of the grocery stores, suppliers, farmers and fishers. The Post's guest columnist Peter Neal writes that the situation is far more complex than it appears. He says Canadian grocery stores are not solely responsible for these high food prices, nor are suppliers, farmers or others in the supply chain. It has been an uphill battle for the supply side to even consider passing increases through to consumers. Grocers have fought hard against such price hikes, with a consistent message that they do not want to burden consumers with higher costs. Mr. Neal places the blame for higher inflation on war, energy prices and weather. Russia's invasion of a crucial global breadbasket had a massive effect. Rising energy prices have rippled through the supply chain, affecting fuel and fertilizer costs. Fertilizer prices have doubled since the prepandemic era, adding yet another layer of pressure to the agriculture sector. One often overlooked contributor to these high prices is the positive aspect of higher labour costs.