Mr. Speaker, the national school food program is helping out over 400,000 children by providing them with healthy meals and snacks, yet Conservatives called this program “garbage” and voted against it.
Let us talk about what some of the largest advocates for children in Canada have to say. The Breakfast Club of Canada said that “children's well-being must remain a national priority”. Pediatric health experts across the country state that research shows children learn better and have better health outcomes when they have access to nutritious meals. UNICEF said to enshrine it in law. The Canadian Teachers' Federation said to make it permanent. That is exactly what budget 2025 would do.
On Prince Edward Island, meals are made by local restaurants and program hubs using locally sourced food from our producers and processors. Our national school food program is a collaborative approach that supports our children, our food producers and our small businesses, and it strengthens our communities, our provinces and our territories, and—