Conservatives claim Liberals want Canadians to ‘eat bugs’ as cricket plant reduces workforce
The Conservative Party is accusing Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government of pushing Canadians to “eat bugs” after a cricket plant in London, Ont., that received federal funding announced layoffs for two-thirds of its workforce. The Aspire Food Group facility, known for farming crickets primarily used in pet food, is laying off 100 of its 150 employees as it undergoes renovations, as reported by AgFunderNews. The company plans to rehire workers in the summer once the production system upgrades are complete.
The Conservatives wasted no time in criticizing the government for investing $8.5 million in the facility in 2022. In an email to supporters, they lambasted the Liberal government, claiming that Justin Trudeau wagered $9 million of taxpayer money on “edible bugs.” The email went on to say that Trudeau wants Canadians to “own nothing, be happy, and eat crickets,” concluding with a call to action for supporters to sign an online petition titled “We won’t eat bugs.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also took to social media to voice his disapproval, focusing mainly on the decision to allocate taxpayer funds to the project. “Liberals spend $9 million of your money on an edible bug factory. Now we get ‘crickets’ from them about where the money went,” Poilievre wrote in a post on social media.
CBC News reached out to Aspire for confirmation of the layoffs but did not receive a response. The news outlet also contacted the Prime Minister’s Office and the agriculture minister’s office for comment, only to be directed to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The department explained that the funding for Aspire was part of a program aimed at accelerating the commercialization and adoption of innovative products, technologies, processes, and services in the agricultural sector.
Aspire promotes crickets as a more sustainable protein source, requiring fewer resources than traditional sources. The facility primarily produces a protein powder used in pet food, with aspirations to expand into the human consumption market in the future. Co-founder Mohammed Ashour has expressed a vision of making cricket protein affordable to address food insecurity globally.
In 2022, Aspire signed a memorandum of understanding with Lotte Confectionary to explore markets in Asia and Europe for their product. While the government hinted at the potential for using the facility in premium health food, it is primarily focused on the pet food market. Some health food stores in Canada already sell cricket protein powder for human consumption.
Despite government support for companies like Naak Inc. that sell cricket products for human consumption, Aspire has faced criticism and conspiracy theories. The facility has been linked to international conspiracy theories alleging a plot to force people to eat insects as part of a totalitarian agenda. Social media posts have circulated claiming the plant is part of a “Great Reset” to prevent people from owning things or a solution to planned food shortages.
The Aspire Food Group cricket plant’s completion in 2022 has stirred controversy, with critics questioning the government’s investment in insect-based protein production. Aspire’s future plans may include expanding into the human food market, but for now, the focus remains on pet food production.
