I'll start by saying that the nutrition north program and its predecessor, the food mail program, are both welcome subsidy programs for Inuit Nunangat and other parts of Canada's north, which are more expensive to operate in.
Non-perishable food items cost more, in large part because of the transportation and all the other infrastructure and costs of infrastructure, even within co-ops and northern stores within our communities. Those cost more to run, so it makes sense then that items might be more expensive.
However, if the Government of Canada is going to get into deciding what foods should be subsidized, and then subsidize those foods that reflect concerns with nutrition, healthy diets and healthy lifestyles of Canadians, then $70 million to $80 million will be spent by the federal government every year trying to provide a social program and in many cases deciding what foods should be eaten in Inuit Nunangat communities.
There should be more self-determination for Inuit within the portion of the subsidy that is for Inuit. Because of our food insecurity—it's at 76%—these funds should go to people who are food-insecure. There should be a tangible, positive influence of this subsidy for those individuals who are in need of food. A rebate at till that is just a short computation of numbers that are not in any way accountable or transparent will never allow for this program to be seen as successful.
Until we solve that, there will always be Inuit in communities who do not believe that the nutrition north program is actually addressing their food security needs.