Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow, October 16th, is World Food Day, a day with the theme of United Against Hunger. It’s an opportunity for us to reflect on our food, our food supply, and to think about who has food and who does not.
Throughout the world, no matter where you look, there are people who are hungry, people in poverty, and here in the NWT our residents are not immune to that problem of hunger and poverty.
In the last 10 years or more we’ve seen an increase in the number of food banks in the NWT and a marked rise in the number of people using those food banks. More and more our people are struggling to have enough food, enough of the right kind of food to have food security.
But what is food security? It’s having enough food that is affordable, that is safe and healthy, that is culturally acceptable, food that meets dietary needs, is obtained in a dignified manner, and is produced in ways that are environmentally sound and socially just. A big definition but it works.
So what are we doing about NWT food security? In general, not enough. But we have a number of programs which work to help our residents achieve food security. With the help of the federal government recently, with some funds from a program called Growing Forward, the GNWT started a Small Scale Foods Program. Resulting from that, we now have about 29 community gardens here in the NWT, gardens which provide food for the community and its residents, and some of these community gardens give as much as one-quarter or more of their produce to either a local food bank or a women’s shelter.
Locally grown foods are cheaper, more environmentally friendly -- there’s no need to transport them, so no greenhouse gas emissions -- and they contribute hugely to local food security.
Mr. Speaker, as Members know, in Yellowknife, assisted by the Donation of Food Act two years ago, an organization called Food Rescue was established here. On a daily basis Food Rescue provides food to numerous non-profit organizations; NGOs providing services to those less fortunate. These NGOs can now ensure greater food security for their clients because of donations of foods from Yellowknife businesses, and those donations are orchestrated by the dedicated and hardworking volunteers of Food Rescue.
There are smaller programs as well, such as the Breakfast for Learning program, which ensures that school kids get exposed to healthy nutritious foods and meals. Yet, Mr. Speaker, many of our residents still struggle with food security, an issue to which this government must give a higher priority. In a rich country like Canada, there’s no place for poverty. We should not have people who are hungry. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
