NUNAVUT
A compilation of all comments received during consultations on the Nutrition North Canada program had a low-key release April 28, with a brief statement from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Carolyn Bennett and Health Minister Jane Philpott.

In Greenland, the state-run store Pilersuisoq – this one is in Upernavik Kujalleq – is part of the country's Kalaallit Niuerfiat chain of suppliers that sells food in small communities at regulated prices. In Nunavut, prices are unregulated and set by the retailers that receive the Nutrition North Canada program subsidy. - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

"A nutritious diet is essential to good physical and mental health. Unfortunately, many families in Northern communities face significant challenges in accessing affordable, nutritious food," stated Bennett and Philpott, adding the report, titled What We Heard, is a result of more than 3,500 comments received via community meetings, interviews, written submissions, online surveys and social media.

"In total, more than 500 people from all over Canada shared their views," stated Bennett.

The ministers added: "We engaged with Northerners on how they can better support families and hunters - and improve access to country foods. We welcome their feedback and are currently reviewing as we develop options. Together we will transform the program so that it meets the needs of Northern families."

Asked when Nunavummiut can expect further developments, Bennett's press secretary Sabrina Williams responded by repeating a slightly different version of the ministers' statement.

"It is completely unacceptable that many Northern and indigenous families cannot afford to put healthy food on the table," Williams stated via e-mail. "Our government is committed to working in partnership with Northern and indigenous communities to overhaul the Nutrition North program and better support their families' access to affordable and healthy food."

The compilation report, at roughly 75 pages, ranges through several topics under which comments were gathered: program sustainability and cost-effectiveness, capacity and efficiency, fairness and consistency, transparency, communications, and innovation.

Under the heading sustainability and cost-effectiveness, concerns included that the eligibility list was developed from a southern perspective and did not take into account traditional diets.

The majority of participants wanted increased subsidies for ingredients for baking bannock and bread, support for country/traditional food and staples, including rice, pasta, dried/dehydrated foods, coffee/tea, juices and canned goods.

"Though a number of participants felt that showing the subsidy on the store receipt was a major positive step in improving transparency, a significant number of participants expressed concerns that the subsidy was not being passed on to the consumer," the report noted.

Suggestions included: requiring more information from registered partners, reviewing subsidy levels, and enhancing monitoring activities.

Regulated food prices needed: researcher

Under innovation, commenters spoke of the need to develop new program objectives, program model and designs, establishing a new management and governance structure, finding additional program funding sources and redesigning the subsidy, which could mean undertaking new research and developing new nutrition education initiatives.

The federal government plans to spend $84,641,748 in the 2017-18 fiscal year on Nutrition North subsidies for 121 communities.

In her assessment of the program published in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health in January, Tracey Galloway concludes that more money will not improve the program and it's not clear if simple modifications or a complete restructuring is needed.

"The market-driven retail subsidy assumes a competitive marketplace that does not exist in the majority of Northern Canadian communities," states Galloway, adding Northerners represent a captive and highly vulnerable market, one that the subsidy should be designed to serve.

"In the absence of fundamental changes to the program's structure and operation, increases to the program's overall budget are unlikely to result in improved food availability or food cost equity."

What the program needs, she writes, is a more rigorous system of retailer accountability and a strong regulatory framework for food pricing.

Galloway notes that Alaska operates a food stamp program, with the state responsible for 50 per cent of the cost of distributing federally-funded food stamp vouchers directly to residents.

Benefits are assessed on a sliding scale taking into account such factors as age, income, and community remoteness.

Greenland has a strict regulatory framework for pricing healthy food. Its Kalaallit Niuerfiat chain of suppliers includes the state-run Pilersuisoq stores, which provide food at regulated prices in the country's smaller towns and villages, states Galloway.

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