Uqaqtittiji, I am honoured to rise on behalf of 42 petitioners calling for the reinstatement of the Inuit child first initiative program, which was also called the hamlet food voucher program. We all know that poverty is a major issue in Nunavut, where 57% of the households experience food insecurity, compared to the national average of 12.7%. The hamlet food voucher program was helping with, on average, about $18 a day per child. That is not a lot of money, given the high cost of living, and it was unfortunate when the Liberal government decided to cut the program.
These 42 petitioners are calling upon the Minister of Indigenous Services to reinstate the hamlet food voucher program and the early years program in Nunavut communities.