RANKIN INLET - Federal representatives for the new Nutrition North program received a chilly welcome at an information session in Rankin Inlet this past week, as well as a lesson on proper protocol when visiting Inuit communities.

Parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Greg Rickford, left, and Leo B. Doyle came under fire for not giving Henry Kudluk a chance to interpret properly during a Nutrition North information meeting in Rankin Inlet this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Nutrition North replaces the food mail program on April 1. A number of items scheduled to have their subsidies removed on that date were put back on the list earlier this month, and will continue to be subsidized until October 2012.

Greg Rickford, parliamentary secretary for the minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, said the Rankin stop was part of an effort to visit a few key communities across the region in an effort to further communicate some new developments in the program.

He said he was also looking forward to talking firsthand with people to answer any questions they might have.

"This process started a couple of years ago and, as we developed it and took a look at our implementation date, we wanted to minimize the transition issues that may arise," said Rickford.

"One of the key parts of Nutrition North Canada is looking at other forms of cost-effective transportation, like sealifts.

"In some of the issues reported, we've come to understand they were inventory-management issues and, under this program, we're allocating a significant resource to support business services in an effort to be compliant with the program.

"This government is continuing to listen, so we made a decision to have the subsidy cover a broader range of products until the defined date, and we'll continue to listen to Northerners as we go that process."

Rankin store owner Ron Roach had a couple of issues he wanted Rickford to listen to during the meeting.

Roach views Nutrition North as a step backwards, and doesn't believe small businesses will be able to compete with the buying power of larger retailers when it comes to negotiating freight rates with the airlines.

He said smaller operations will be put out of business by the new program, and was met with rousing applause from the gathering as he concluded his comments.

"Last year I brought in 40,000 pounds of food mail at a cost of $40,000," said Roach.

"Once the new system comes in, I'm going to be paying at least $3 a kg.

"The $1.40 subsidy on $3 shipping costs equates to almost $60,000 in additional costs to my store.

"Under the old system we were all equal, but the new system is going to kill small business."

Nellie Kusugak was also glad to hear Rickford was listening, even if he wasn't going to understand a word she said for the first five minutes, as she spoke in Inuktitut.

Kusugak was upset over the fact Rickford wasn't giving Henry Kudluk time to interpret anyone's remarks into Inuktitut from English.

She said translations have to be done promptly and correctly.

"It should be done out of respect, to begin with, but you also want everyone to understand what's being discussed," said Kusugak.

"I wanted to make the point next time, wherever they go, they'll remember to do that."

Kusugak said Ottawa should also consider Inuit culture when they devise programs, especially one as important as food.

She said white flour is an example of a food item almost every household has.

"Inuit use white flour to make bannock, soups, broths and many other things to make them tastier and more filling.

"White flour is very important in Inuit households and I don't want them to forget that because its subsidy is low and it's very expensive.

"I know white flour is not as healthy as whole wheat, but I've tried making bannock with whole wheat and a mixture, and it's not the same."

Kusugak said the main diets of the North should be considered and made part of the subsidy program.

"It's the same as toilet paper and laundry detergents ... if cleanliness is that important to being healthy, they need to be subsidized.

"I hope this new program benefits Inuit, but it seems every time something good comes along for Inuit, somebody decides it's working too well and changes it."

Coun. Kyle Sheppard said the cheapest freight rate he can find right now is $3.80 a kg from Winnipeg.

He said under the old program, with a 75-cent fee per box, it averaged about $1 a kg to ship things to Rankin.

"I'm now paying $2.40 a kg, which is $1.40 more than under the previous program," said Sheppard.

"Individual ordering and having access to a wider range of products in the south is an important component of this program.

"They're not doing enough to encourage southern retailers to participate.

"It almost seems like the burdensome amount of paperwork they're being asked to complete is by design."

Sheppard said the feds, at times, seem very reluctant to admit Northern retailers have been getting a subsidy for years.

He said based on the track record of the stores, nobody feels the subsidies have ever been passed on.

"The federal government is still liable for that lack of transparency under the old system, so it's trying to brush that under the rug and hoping we'll believe the stores will pass those savings on and become more transparent.

"But, based on the past record, I just don't believe that's going to happen.

"This was a very disappointing meeting because they didn't answer any direct questions.

"They kept going back to the same standard responses, reiterating the same points, without ever addressing any of the questions asked."

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