Canada – Ottawa Promising $1 Billion For Healthy Foods In Schools

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Ottawa promising $1 billion for healthy foods in schools

With just days to go until the unveiling of the 2024 federal budget, local members of Parliament are promising funds to ensure that children across Canada will have access to healthy, nutritious food at school.

Both Patty Hajdu (Thunder Bay-Superior North) and Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay-Rainy River) were on hand Monday at Evergreen United Neighbourhood to pledge that dollars will be set aside to put food in tummies, provided that the budget passes in the House of Commons.

“We know that healthy, nutritious food is important for growth,” Hajdu said.

“It’s also critical for kids to have that dignity and that sense of inclusion in the lunchroom.”

When asked about the timing of when the potential dollars might roll out, Hajdu noted that it will be done in coordination with the province of Ontario and the school boards.

“We want to make sure that this is something that every kid can participate in with dignity. Oftentimes, participation in these programs requires somebody to put their hand up and say, ‘I can’t afford food; I don’t have food at home.’

“All of that can actually deter a child from asking for help or can make a child experience shame.”

Hajdu also unveiled potential measures on March 28 regarding early childhood education.

Executive director Linda Bruins agrees that feeding children directly is the right thing to do.

Bruins noted that “Children don’t have any say in how they’re raised and how they get food.”

“Children sometimes come from homes that have empty refrigerators, and that problem can be tied to the rising cost of rent or utilities on a family.”

“If you’re fortunate to be in this neighbourhood, Evergreen allows children the access to food that they can eat and take home with them. It’s truly heartwarming to help feed kids in the community.”

Evergreen has been operating for 16 years and is approaching its 11th year operating out of the house on the corner of Heron and McKenzie Street.

Evergreen receives support from the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board, United Way and the City of Thunder Bay.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland will table the federal budget on April 16. – tbnewswatch.com

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My understanding is that this program was promised during the last election campaign. That election was held on September 20, 2021.  They are getting around to ensuring your kids have access to healthy, nutritious food after 2.5 years.  Why now?  Well, a cynical person might point out that the Trudeau is extremely unpopular right now.  The Carbon Tax is turning out to be detested by Canadian voters as well as Provincial governments….including those provinces whose governments are currently led by Liberals.

A couple of questions about this food program:

    • what exactly does the Federal Government think is healthy, nutritious  food?   Who decides?  Will the government have a say as to what food will be served?   Fruit juice is high in sugar.   How much sugar will be allowed?  How many carbs? How much fat? Bread?  Almost all bread is full of sugar and a long list of additives. Seed oils are poison to your body.  REAL heathy and nutritious food is hard to come by and is expensive.  I have real doubts about the healthy and nutritious we are being promised.  I expect the food will be processed. Maybe not as much as some others but processed all the same.
    • will the kids even eat the health, nutritious food?
    • will this program be mandatory?   What if parents are already providing their children healthy nutritious food and they do not want their children to eat any of the government food?
    • the Canadian Government has sent many more billions of dollars overseas to fund a war.  Why only $1 billion for Canadian children?  That is OK?
    • where did this $1 billion come from?   Are they cutting other programs?  Are they adding to the country’s huge debt? If they are just adding to the country’s debt, then why not make it $2 billion?  $3 billion?  Why not supply the children with dinner as well?
    • should the children whose parents are not providing their children with food not be removed from that home?
    • how does the Carbon Tax not make the affordability of healthy, nutritious worse?  Trudeau claims that MOST Canadians will get back more in rebates  than they pay in taxes BUT those rebates take time to arrive.