Speak up on Nutrition North
Give the subsidy to communities and people, not retailers, say three communities consulted by Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, July 18, 2016
NUNAVUT
With three community engagements so far on the books for the Nutrition North program, Nunavummiut can expect their turn to speak up come the fall.
Nunavut News/North reported early last month that the communities of Baker Lake, Kugaaruk, Pond Inlet and Iqaluit were were to have been included in public engagements scheduled to take place in June.
"The Nunavut region engagement process has not been delayed. Since the Government of Canada is holding engagement sessions with up to 20 Northern communities, the planning around when communities are consulted is flexible," stated Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) spokesperson Shawn Jackson in an e-mail to Nunavut News/North.
"For example, we have had to postpone a couple of sessions until the fall because of matters beyond our control (e.g., mechanical/weather)."
Jackson added, "The phased planning included not going to the communities over the summer in recognition that community members are often out on the land.
Jackson says to watch the Nutrition North Canada Engagement 2016 website because updates are made regularly when information becomes available.
The engagement team, made up of consultants from Interis Consulting and supported by INAC and Health Canada officials, 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, explained Jackson.
This will be done with community visits to isolated Northern communities by small teams of up to four people - two consultants and two federal officials - that involves a town hall meeting.
Direct phone interviews, a written survey and an online survey will be coming in the fall. An invitation for written submissions submitted via email or through mail will be additional methods used to gather information.
Asked how the four Nunavut communities were chosen, Jackson said the choices were based on recommendations from the Nutrition North Canada Advisory Board and they include a mix of small, medium and larger size communities, and communities that have yet not been visited regarding Nutrition North Canada or have expressed interest in being engaged.
The three communities that have so far taken part in expressing their concerns and ideas are: Ulukhaktok in the Northwest Territories, Old Crow in the Yukon and Rigolet in Nunatsiavut.
As with future communities to be scheduled, citizens were asked to discuss the Nutrition North program with regard to five themes: program sustainability and cost effectiveness, fairness and consistency, transparency, visibility, and innovation.
"'What we heard summaries' of all meetings are posted on the web site after each session," said Jackson.
"The findings will be used to inform options to update the program and develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program."
The theme of innovation appears to have generated many similar ideas in the three communities which have had the opportunity to speak up.
They range from including country foods in the program, direct subsidies to individuals or communities, and a variety of alternate ways to get nutritious foods into the hands of Northerners.
Concerns about transparency and whether retailers are actually passing on subsidies to consumers was universal across the three consulted communities.
