Mr. Speaker, Canada signed the 1992 declaration regarding food. We have a responsibility to meet that declaration. The government shows no sign of changing course and improving student nutrition.
The Minister of Health's office stated:
We see education very clearly as a provincial/territorial jurisdiction, so it's nothing that's being considered by our government at this point in time.
This is extremely disappointing, considering the recognition by Dr. David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, who stressed:
As a result of being hungry at school, these children may not reach their full developmental potential--an outcome that can have a health impact throughout their entire lives.
We are one of the few industrialized countries without a national breakfast program, the only G8 country without.