Food subsidy program under fire
Residents point out numerous flaws
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, October 3, 2016
IQALUIT
A theme quickly evolved at a Nutrition North program consultation session the evening of Sept. 26 at the Inukshuk High school gym in Iqaluit.
If the program is not about food insecurity, but is about selling nutritious foods at lower prices, who exactly gets to decide what is considered nutritious foods? Mistrust about all aspects of the program, and the need for Inuit to make decisions themselves, dominated the conversation.
About 40 people attended, including Iqaluit Mayor Madeleine Redfern, well-known food activist Leesee Papatsie and several members of the Nunavut legislative assembly.
The engagement team, made up of consultants from Interis Consulting and supported by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada staff, is gathering information from Northern residents, indigenous and Northern community groups, provincial/territorial and municipal government representatives, registered retailers and suppliers, and other interested parties.
"Nutritious according to who," asked Papatsie.
 | Millions of dollars of edible foods wasted | 
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Perishables items, specifically fruits and vegetable, for example, were said not to be Inuit's first choice for nourishment. It was also noted that by the time perishable items reach certain communities, the quality is not good and the prices remain exorbitant.
"Millions of dollars of edible foods get thrown out in our landfills. There needs to be a mechanism to make sure that doesn't happen," Redfern said.
"And why are we subsidizing dragon fruit or tofu burgers? More staples should be less expensive," added Redfern, who noted Nunavut dumps are filled with perishable food items people could never afford in the first place.
An example of a staple was the high cost of flour and other baking goods used for making homemade bread, set at a lower subsidy rate, while store-bought bread receives a higher subsidy.
"Flour is very important to us. A lot of us use it every day," said Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu MLA Pat Angnakak. "Homemade is more nutritious than store-bought."
This led to several people, including Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Paul Okalik, to say the fact that country foods could only be subsidized if it comes from processing plants limits availability.
"This needs to be looked at. Country foods need to be subsidized more," said Angnakak.
Meanwhile, Okalik suggested that liability could be dealt with if a buyer signed a waiver and hunters could be licensed to sell that food under the subsidy program.
"Please allow us to enjoy our own food," he said. "It's perfectly edible."
Papatsie suggested: "I buy from the hunter, I give you the receipt and I get the subsidy."
This led to the need for bullets and other hunting items to be subsidized, not to mention hygiene items such as toothpaste and disposable diapers, which are an integral part of daily life.
"Toothpaste or food," asked one participant. "What a choice."
Another attendee suggested that since food choices are personal, the most-purchased items could be targeted and receive the same subsidy across all communities, comparable to the south. Milk was given as an example. If milk costs five dollars in the south, all fly-in communities could purchase milk for five dollars.
Yet another person in attendance asked why there is a list.
"Why not have everything subsidized. We save on bananas but pay higher rates for sugar and Tide detergent. It's like Peter being robbed to pay Paul."
A general subsidy was suggested again.
"Any place across the North gets the same price. Then it's open. Everybody sees what's going on. Then you'll see food security."
The consultants repeatedly said the federal government is looking for ideas to improve the program within the existing budget.
"We're trying to understand how you feel about certain trade-offs," said the consultant.
However, speaking to Nunavut News/North in December 2014, Derek Reimer, the director of business development for The North West Company, which operates Northern and NorthMart stores, said current increases address already existing volume increases in the program but not actual subsidy rates.
"If there's no change in subsidy rates, the consumer will not see the impact on retail prices," said Reimer.
"You've had volume increase, you've had inflation in a number of different areas, but you haven't seen overall subsidy rates change. Our recommendation is we need to see a significant increase in funding levels."
This was echoed by Arctic Co-operatives Ltd.'s vice-president of merchandising and logistics, Duane Wilson, who was present at the evening consultation.
Shipping rates and the current practice of subsidizing retailers repeatedly came up as an issue lacking transparency.
"If something costs four dollars in the south and nine here, nobody's going to tell me that's what it costs to ship," said one person.
Another resident said, "Nutrition North Canada has an impossible task. People still go hungry."
Angnakak said she'd heard the application form for a retailer to participate in the Nutrition North program is "very cumbersome," limiting avenues for people to purchase affordable foods.
However, most people seemed to be of one mind that the complexity of the program is not reaching the target audience.
It was also noted that the program does not have a measure of success.
"Without measuring success, how do you know if it's a good investment?"
Finally, one community member suggested: "Instead of helping them (retailers) realize more profit, how about helping us develop our own stores?"
Consultation dates for Kugaaruk and Baker Lake have yet to be announced.
