Debates of June 7, 2006 (day 7)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I read an article in a national newspaper about the status of Canada schools, Canadian schools banning pop from vending machines right across the country here. The article also said that politicians are following by leading the way for advocating for healthy foods in the school. They’re motivated by the high costs of children who are overweight and to look at eliminating the unhealthy foods in the schools. Refreshments Canada, the main trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverages industries, are developing guidelines to make sure that only healthy, low-fat drinks and bottled water will be sold in schools, in high schools here, in elementary schools.

Ontario is getting rid of candy and pop from vending machines in high schools. B.C. has released voluntary school guidelines to phase out junk beverages. In Quebec it is the school boards who determine the nutrition policies and Montreal soft drink vending machines have been banned in public elementary and high schools. New Brunswick is phasing out the pop and other sweetened beverages from all the public schools for 2007. Newfoundlanders are waiting for the government to release guidelines, and, finally, Nova Scotia has drafted a nutrition policy that only milk, juice and water should be sold in schools in the vending machines. These guidelines are still to be debated.

In the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, we have a successful campaign called “Drop the Pop” campaign, which has been great, but it’s not enough in our schools here. Who knows what bad habits and illness are developing in our schools and in our children who are in those schools. We’re waiting for this government to develop some strong guidelines and leadership, take charge, ban the junk food in our schools, because I heard somewhere God does not create junk and our children are not junk. We need healthy foods in our schools, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause