To be clear, we have asked for an overhaul of the program. We recognize that the Government of Canada spending upwards of $200 million for increased food security for nutrition north-eligible communities in the north and the Arctic is generally a good thing. It does not function as a social program. That is our biggest critique of the nutrition north program.
As I stated in my stats, our Inuit population is at a food insecurity rate of 70%. A rebate-at-till model—basically, you go to the store, and the retailer tells you how much you're saving—is a blanket subsidy for all those who use it. It could be individuals in communities, businesses or governments that go to the store. We need a more targeted social program that gets food to the people who need it most in our communities.
