Thank you.
Ms. Copland, Mr. Borbey and Mr. Tibbetts, welcome.
I would like to talk first about the current program, the Food Mail Program which is managed by Canada Post. We must admit that over the many years that Canada Post has managed this program, the corporation has acquired a certain experience and dexterity in obtaining the best prices and providing the best service possible.
Canada Post played the role of shipping inspector and had a presence in almost all Canadian communities. The corporation controlled the quality, handling, packaging and even the entry and arrival facilities. It conducted follow-ups and set maximum time limits for the loading and unloading of food, in order to ensure food freshness. Canada Post also had the advantage, when assigning contracts with shippers, of getting the best price possible.
As a crown corporation, and one which already operated within Canada, Canada Post ensured a framework and uniformity. The Nutrition North Canada model is based on retail trade, by excluding Canada Post from the process. Who will have those responsibilities under the new Nutrition North Canada program?
We know that there will be a financial control to ensure accountability. What will this accountability apply to? Will it concern the cost of food once it has reached its destination, minus the subsidy? Have you calculated the ability of each retailer to negotiate, compared to a wholesaler such as Canada Post, which asks for bids and has an ability to negotiate with shippers?
Has there also been an assessment of Canada Post's ability to transport food as close as possible by road, which made it a lot less expensive when loading onto a plane, in order to ship it to remote regions?
Is there a mechanism to guarantee all northern communities will have healthy foods, with a reasonable shelf life and at a more accessible price than at present?