Food Censorship in the North

On Monday I published a post ( which by the way seems to have drawn the attention of the folks in Ottawa , garnering 9 hits from gc.ca) on the replacement of the Mail Subsidy program with a new one titled Nutrition North, that has resulted in skyrocketing prices for the impoverished communities in the North. In the process the Harper government also eliminated the subsidy on hygiene products, which as Fat Arse stated in his response to this issue, is extremely short sighted.

re: "Nutrition North will only subsidize what the conservatives deem to be healthy foods,while eliminating the subsidy for hygiene products."

Anyone wondering why TB rates in the Far North are so high need look no further than this. A social disease that preys on the malnourished who suffer from a lack of proper hygiene, TB is ideally suited to take advantage of this marginalized population. Bottom line, the Harper government doesn't care about health in the North.

While the goal of encouraging people to consume a healthier diet is a laudable one, the government's approach is an entirely paternalistic, daddy knows best one.I have heard this program described as food censorship, which to me sums it up the best, for what else do you call it when the government tells you what you can and can not consume, be it words,images,thoughts and yes food.

Below are some of the items that will no longer be eligible under the new regime.

Prescription drugs- Over the counter drugs will still be eligible
Vitamins, minerals (except meal replacements, power bars, energy bars)

Spices, salt, sugar, baking powder, cornstarch
ketchup, vinegar, relish, pickles
Coffee, tea

Diapers,wipes
Feminine hygiene products, disposable undergarments, toilet paper, nursing pads
Toothpaste, dental floss, denture adhesive and cleaner, toothbrushes- Having very limited access to dental health services in these communities, one would think that it would be advisable for the government to encourage dental hygiene would it not.
Hand and body lotions, soap, shampoo, deodorant

Dry rice, dry pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, noodles), other grains
Canned or dried legumes

Fishing nets, rods and lures, snowmobile, ATV and outboard motor parts - On the surface this may seem like a reasonable area to cut and the minister of Indian Affairs while defending the changes, has used these items as an example of waste in the Mail Subsidy program. However I have to disagree,given the exorbitant prices for food in our northern communities it is vital that those who can, be able to hunt in order to supplement their diets with traditional foods, not to mention aiding them in maintaining a small slice of their traditional culture.

$27.79 for a tub of margarine !!!

No that is not a typo,it is the actual price of a tub of margarine in Nunavut, after the Harper conservatives canceled the Food Mail program that subsidized shipments of food and some hygiene products to remote northern communities. Under this program the cost of shipping food to these communities was 80 cents per kilo. The unsubsidized price is now about $13 per kilo to Arctic Bay with more remote communities paying even more. The governments answer to those upset at high prices is,“to contact their local retailer.”

“In my opinion, these prices are way too high,” MLA Ronald Elliott said in an interview, adding: “For communities that are already hit with high unemployment and where lots of people are on social assistance, it makes you wonder how people are going to make ends meet.”

The subsidy has been replaced by a new “cost effective” regime pushed by Health Minister and Nunavut MP, Leona Aglukkaq called Nutrition North. Nutrition North will only subsidize what the conservatives deem to be healthy foods,while eliminating the subsidy for hygiene products.

Indian Affairs minister John Duncan wants us to believe that “These prices are not a result of the Nutrition North Canada program” Okay mister minister if not this new fangled “cost effective” program then just what in your opinion has caused this dramatic spike in food prices,oh wait a minute, I know, it must be that evil socialist coalition you guys keep warning us about.Yeah that's it because we know that the North and arctic sovereignty are two of your government's key priorities, so it stands to reason that you wouldn't do anything to make life even more difficult than it already is, now would you.

NOTE: The prices in this video are two years old and were subsidized under the old program. For instance the Cheez Whiz is now $29.39,instead of the $17.79 depicted in the video.



Stephen Harper loves to travel to the north,frolicking on ATV's, making the rules, and displaying his faux concern for the region and it's residents, but like most of what he says and does it is nothing but a shell game. His focus on arctic sovereignty is one such con job, designed not to improve the living conditions of it's residents, nor is it to protect Canadian's interests there, but instead to justify increased military spending and to protect his buddies in big oil. What his focus definitely isn't about is ending the degradation and humiliation of the great peoples that comprise our First Nations of the North and elsewhere.