Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Here is a story familiar to communities all over the North. The government guy comes to town in his government truck loaded with his expensive equipment and know-how. He’s there to help. He asks directions, drives to the site and gets to work. Locals watch curiously as another government project takes shape. Days pass and stuff happens until, duty done, the government guy loads up and is gone. Who was that masked man?
From what I hear, that’s a pretty good description of the ITI delivery model for the Small Scale Foods Program under the Growing Forward Agreement. The ITI agricultural worker has spent the annual $245,000 in funding. Yes, we have dutifully tallied the mounting number of local gardens spreading across our communities. Yes, we can claim 30 community gardens, but feedback indicates that’s a very hollow claim.
In contrast, modest investments or contributions to non-government organizations like the Territorial Farmers Association, Ecology North and the Arctic Energy Alliance have netted real community engagement, buy-in and capacity building. The Lutselk’e, Simpson and Fort Resolution community gardens are great examples. Watered and weeded by gardeners in the making, the communities harvest the bounty of their own care and attention. Nothing tastes so good. Beyond that, though, community residents very soon use new-found skills and enthusiasm to take on leadership roles themselves.
Fortunately, I have begun hearing that government has realized the drive or fly in, put in the garden, and leave modus operandi is less than ideal. Gardens and gardeners don’t grow untended. The Minister’s office says three ITI regional offices will be taking on delivery of the Small Scale Foods Program. While I’m happy to support regional roles, I am leery of seeing new positions carry on in the same old way. Based on real partnership results, the approach should be to enhance meaningful support of groups that know how to do community outreach and capacity building.
We’re talking about supporting a school of agriculture with funds from Growing Forward 2. A community-wise component of local engagement and mobilization should be part of that new curriculum. Community folks are saying that drive-by gardens don’t work. Let’s use a proven approach that emphasizes local control with efficient non-government organization expertise to build self-reliance.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
