Food report confirms the food security challenge in the Mushkegowuk region

The Mushkegowuk Council welcomes the food study by the Food Secure Canada which is

the first major study on our territory on food security challenge. While the report confirms what most of us already know about the exorbitant cost of food and groceries in the region, it is useful to have research evidence backing up the and confirming the extent of what our community member household spend to meet their basic nutritional requirement. The study was conducted specifically in Attawapiskat, Fort Albany and Moose Factory.

Though the study identifies challenges with the methodology of food cost measurement, it nonetheless demonstrates some major issues our communities face with respect to food security.

The Nutrition North Canada (NNC) program is broken and needs major repair even though the Federal government is proceeding to expand it to include 37 additional communities soon. The report also shows the average monthly spend for a family of four to purchase required items on the list of food and groceries in our communities is under $1,800 compared to $850 in Toronto.

“What this means is that between food and hydro costs households spend well over half their monthly incomes” say Dep. Grand Chief Rebecca Friday. The link between health care and well being cannot be overemphasized and the gap in jurisdictional responsibility for health and economic development is also complicating the solution.

“The impact on well-being is a major concern. There is a high rate of diabetes in every community in my region including children at a very young age. People are losing their eye-sight, limbs and end-up on dialysis, living away from their homes and families and sadly many are lost to this disease says, Grand Chief Solomon.”

“The NNC program is in need of an overhaul; I cannot understand how subsidizing food retailers addresses our food security challenges. Some have suggested a new program that directly targets the beneficiaries – Northern community households” according to the Grand Chief Jonathan Solomon.

Further on December 2014 (http://www.cbc.ca/…/a-modern-day-monopoly-on-northern) a report done on how the Northern First Nation Communities are monopolized by the NorthWest Company factors into the high food cost. Sadly “They can just do it” says Grand Chief Jonathan Solomon.

The recommendations in the report suggests short and long term solutions. Key short term solution is for government agencies to begin on an annual basis to collect data on food costs and cost of basic nutritional diet as was done during the Food Mail program; while a long term solution requires a restructuring of the NNC program as proposed by the 2014 Federal government audit report.

For more information on the press release, please contact the Office of the Grand Chief Jonathan Solomon, at grandchief@mushkegowuk.ca or 705-658-4222, ext. 102 or cell: 705-363-7122

Mushkegowuk Council is a regional organization that represents the collective interests of the Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Chapleau Cree, Missanabie Cree, Moose Cree, Taykwa Tagamou and Attawapiskat First Nations in northeastern Ontario.

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