Grocery prices are on the rise, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced an investment of $1bn over five years to feed hungry children. The objective of this initiative is to provide healthier foods for about 400,000 deprived children from lower-income families, racialised groups and indigenous communities.
The Impact of Trudeau’s Policies on Canadian Families
Food insecurity is affecting 14% of students in the Toronto District School Board as the cost of living skyrockets. Ward 4 has the highest degree of food insecurity with 62% of parents/caregivers in elementary schools and 53% at high school levels being concerned about their food running out.
The Lack of a National School Food Program in Canada
Canada ranks 37th among the world’s richest 41 countries when it comes to providing healthy food for kids – but it remains the only G7 country without a national school meal program.
Poilievre’s Call for Action on Food Costs
While Pierre Poilievre, Conservative Leader, argues that scrapping carbon pricing by Ottawa would do more to reduce food costs than any other thing in which case he is right; some economists argue that its effect on food prices is minimal.
Trudeau’s Failure to Deliver on Climate Change
Despite Canada’s commitment through her leader Mr. Trudeau to deal with climate change cases, she has remained incapable of addressing climate disasters while simultaneously becoming worst perming all G7 members since Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.
“We have gone from failure to failure,” says Jerry DeMarco (Environment Commissioner). Canada needs action and results not more targets or plans.
The Importance of a Comprehensive Approach to Food Security
A comprehensive approach towards food security should involve policies that tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity such as poverty and income inequality, while giving priority to vulnerable populations like low-income families and individuals, racialized groups and indigenous communities or people living in remote areas.
The Impact of Trudeau’s Policies on Indigenous Communities
Food insecurity has hit indigenous communities in Canada harder than any other group. According to an Assembly of First Nations report, 50% (half) of First Nations children live in poverty compared with only 19% for non-indigenous children. The federal government’s failure to address the root problems of poverty among indigenous peoples is one reason behind high levels food shortages in these communities.
The Need for a Long-Term Solution to Food Security
Trudeau’s national school food program is a remedial measure undertaking for permanent problem. The comprehensive approach to food security should not only deal with root causes such as poverty and income disparity but also take care of the needs of disadvantaged groups.
While Trudeau’s national school food program is a step in the right direction, it is not enough to address the root causes of food insecurity in Canada. A comprehensive approach to food security should prioritize the needs of vulnerable populations, address the root causes of poverty and income inequality, and provide long-term solutions to food insecurity.
Poilievre’s appeal to food costs and the Conservative plan to give priority to provinces, communities and workers is a more robust approach in dealing with these concerns. Trudeau’s failure to deliver on climate change and his inability to strike a balance between Canada’s fossil fuel-fed economy and a stronger climate change policy is a major problem which has to be solved.
Canada must have the government that prioritizes its people rather than only giving short term solutions which ignore what actually causes the problem.
Last Updated on by Alshaar Ansari
