[Witness speaks in Inuktitut]
Thank you very much for allowing us to be here for you to hear our concerns about the food mail program.
I'm Elena Labranche. I'm the assistant director of the public health department for the whole Nunavik region in northern Quebec. I'm here with Marie-Josée Gauthier. She's the only nutritionist for the region, for the 14 communities, which are all remote.
I'll be talking about a few facts about the food source problems we have in Nunavik.
The latest research results have concluded that food insecurity is at 24%. The poverty level is up to 30%, and 44% of the households maintain minimum comfort budgets. There are almost no employment opportunities in most of the communities. Welfare is at the maximum, and people using the system get the same amount of funds as people using the same welfare system in the south.
The cost of groceries is enormous. On average, the cost is about 57% higher in Nunavik compared to Quebec City. A bag of groceries that would cost $200 in the south would cost a minimum of $314 for the same basket. Country food is another source we use very often, but country food can't be relied on at all times because of the seasonal migration of the animals. Most times they don't use the same route patterns. During the late spring and late fall, when people cannot go hunting anymore to get food, everyone depends on store-bought food.
The change to the food mail program is way too fast, in our opinion. There is not enough time in the transition period for the northerners to adjust and for the retailers to prepare for the changes. For example, there is no time to build the warehouses to stock up on dried goods. Also, in the homes of the people, there is no room to stock up on foods, for those who would be able to afford to stock up. Besides, that is not part of our culture. When you have more than enough of what you need, you share with others.
There was no time to inform the public of the changes to the food mail program. We are already seeing an increase in prices of up to 40% for some of the items, such as canned goods, dried pasta, and rice. These are essential staples for feeding large families. For example, in Kuujjuaq, where food is the cheapest of the 14 communities, two of these bottles would be $7.88.
We'd like to understand, too, if there is going to be another program that is going to cover these essential items.
Under Nutrition North Canada, we will be receiving funding through Health Canada for nutrition education purposes, which is going to reinforce our existing work on promoting healthier eating. However, with prices skyrocketing, we are worried that the public will struggle to access foods. When people are worried about having enough food to put on the table, we do not have the ideal conditions for trying to change food habits for better choices.
Thank you.
Nakurmiik.