Nutrition North on the agenda at Igloolik food security meeting

People in Igloolik outraged by the high cost of groceries have a chance to speak their mind at a food security meeting Tuesday evening.

The two-day event, happening in the new community hall, has been organized by the Nunavut Food Security Coalition, a partnership between the Nunavut government, Nunavut Tunngavik, regional Inuit organizations and retailers. Nutrition North, among other issues, is on the menu.

"It's not just the retailers and the airlines, but the cost of electricity to run a community freezer or a runway might have an impact on prices. It's a very complex system," said Lindsay Turner, director of poverty reduction with the Government of Nunavut.

The meetings will help the GN "prioritize spending" on infrastructure, said Turner, with members of the coalition bringing recommendations to elected officials.

It will also allow for a discussion of the federal government's role in bringing down food prices, including reforming the Nutrition North program.

"There's a lot of interest to subsdizing hygiene products," said Turner.

"One of the other recommendations would be to subsidize sealift, not just airlift; to look at subsidizing not just fresh produce, but dried and dehydrated products as well."

Whatever happens, the intention is "to look at the program and to keep in mind the impact on the low income vulnerable population when any program changes are being made," said Turner.

That could mean a bigger subsidy for people with the highest needs, said Turner. Possibly even replacing the Nutrition North with a tax benefit.

Bringing down the price of food, however, is only part of the equation, she added. Participants will also be talking about the role of country food, and how the government can best support people in communities to get out on the land.