QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
National School Food Policy
April 19, 2023
My question is regarding the school food program and is, of course, for the Government Representative, Senator Gold. It concerns the national school food program as we have heard over the last several years. Despite a $1-billion Liberal campaign commitment for federal funding to implement a national school food program, the budget, yet again, allocated no spending in this area. This has been an ongoing discussion for years, including way back when former Senator Eggleton brought this motion in the chamber, in 2018-19. I appreciate that consultations have been intense and thorough, have been held with stakeholders and they finished in December. A national school food program seems like an easy win for the government at a time when families are struggling with food prices and Canada remains the only G7 country without a school nutrition program.
My question is when the government will deliver on its commitment to fund a national school food program in Canada.
Thank you for your question. It’s an important one but a complicated one in our country. The government understands food insecurity is on the rise and it’s causing real, serious concerns for families and for their children. And strengthening our food supply and developing a national school food policy remain an important goal of this government. Indeed, this has been highlighted in mandate letters that were given to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, as well as the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. What the government is doing and will continue to do is to work with those jurisdictions which have primary responsibility here — the provinces and territories and municipalities and, indeed, Indigenous communities and stakeholders — to develop a national school food policy and to create a nutritious national school food program.
Thank you. Respectfully, do you see this coming to life in the next 6 to 12 months?
I’m not in a position to know exactly. I don’t know how these discussions are unfolding and therefore I really don’t know what the timetable may be. I’ll make some efforts to find out where things stand and report back when I get an answer.
