Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Changes to the federal Food Mail Program, now known as Nutrition North Canada, are disastrous. It’s actually increasing the cost of foods for the residents in our smaller communities. This is a huge problem that requires immediate action. Instead of ensuring flat shipping rates for northern orders of nutritious food, the federal government is subsidizing freight costs for northern retailers. Basically that’s the Northern Stores and Co-op stores. In theory, it should work if the freight subsidy is fully passed on to the customers. That doesn’t seem to be happening.
My constituents are sending me cost comparisons. They are showing me the numbers that they pay when they’re able to order groceries directly from Yellowknife versus what they’re paying at the community stores. The costs of things like milk, apples, eggs, and cheese have almost doubled. My constituents are asking me, why should oranges cost $3 a kilogram in Yellowknife and more than $8 a kilogram in Tulita. That’s even after the freight subsidy of $2 per kilogram.
The federal freight subsidy is not benefitting the consumers. Stores in Yellowknife are no longer taking part in this program because the federal government reporting requirements are too complicated and take too much time. This especially hurts people in the Norman Wells area. This subsidy has actually reduced competition, what little competition there is in our smaller communities.
I know this program is a federal responsibility, but our government shares the pain when our people cannot afford to eat a balanced, nutritious diet. We have to do something about this immediately.
Northern retailers are not happy with the Nutritious North Program. Consumers and my people are not happy with it. The Nutritious North Program needs to be revised, and this government should start applying some serious pressure to make this happen. Maybe the Premier should have a few words with Mr. Harper.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
