$20 for a jug of milk. $104 for a case of bottled water. $18 for a jar of peanut butter. These are the prices for basic food items that Canada's northern residents must pay every day.
In 2010, under the Nutrition North Program, the Conservative government removed shipping subsidies and gave them to retailers instead, with no stipulation that the savings to retailers be passed on to the consumer.
But according to Health and Northern Economic Development Minister Leona Aglukkaq, these outrageous prices aren't the fault of her government's corporate-centric policies, but rather that of "patronizing and ill-informed" activist third parties.
Considering that many aboriginal advocacy groups place the blame for high food prices on the shipping subsidies, not activists, MP Aglukkaq's accusations of outsider meddling rings resoundingly hollow.
Inform MP Aglukkaq that her "let them eat cake" attitude won't fill empty stomachs.
To: PM Stephan Harper
MP Leona Aglukkaq
We, the undersigned, respectfully ask that you GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND concerning the food insecurities of the Inuit and First Nations people.
Canada's aboriginal people deserve better than your inappropriate and thoughtless admonishments of groups such as the UN Right-To-Food, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Inuit Circumpolar Institute--all of whom have every Canadians' well-being at the heart of their mandates.
We pray that embarrassment at having to be shamed into action is enough impetus for you to act on these groups' well researched recommendations immediately.
Blaming activists and environmentalists for a problem exacerbated by your corporate-centric policies is egregious and disingenuous at best and does not put food in the mouths of hungry Canadians.
Thank you.
