Rant Warning..
Having lived in the north for a number of years, having friends and family still living in the artic of canada, I am very upset by some of the changes that have been made to the food mail program.
In order to be fair, I am going to share the other side of the story..
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ai/mr/nr/j-a2011/23460-eng.asp
Now having read the offical blub, to which I say.. Bla, Bla, Bla.. I call B.S.
Followup info
While you can say that the program is “not” in effect, the effects are being felt period, while it sounds great that they are dropping things out of the food mail that are not “healthy” and therefor forcing recommending folks to eat more healthy food that will should be but won’t be cheaper for all this effort to make it so..
They keep going on about they want to force everyone to use the sealifts for the rest of their year long food stuff, I have been there, and done that, I have made those orders and bought my years supply in this way.. and let me tell you.. you need MONEY, you need to have either saved all year long, or you need a hefty line of credit, I don’t think anyone could get a years supply for less then ten thousand by the time you buy the food plus the sea can plus the shipping plus the delivery fee’s, plus you need storage to hold a whole years worth of food, and you need the skills to plan meals and figure out how to make what you have gotten spread out for a whole year..
Just think about only getting ONE shot at this, you only have one sealift per year, that’s it.. if you mess up, there is no fixing it.. now part of what they are saying in regards to the new program, is that unlike when I lived up there and had to order though the “approved company” that they are opening that up, in the hopes that folks will be able to find company’s that want the business and will offer the food at lower rates, therefor saving those few elite that can afford to do a full year sealift. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t, only time will give that answer.
How does this help the local Inuit (Nunvut), the local Natives and the rest of those living below the poverty lines in NWT, and the Yukon! It doesn’t.. the goverment is spending as much or more on the new plan, and with a population that has more young peaple then any other area then canada in growth, that cost is going to just keep going up.. This plan helps No one.. not the peaple or the goverment..
The old program had been in place for 40 years and overview was due but they could have done a better job on both sides working together then they have done, and I see no end in sight to the issues that have been created..
If I had a magic wand, I would have added one thing into this program, I would have made it so that the goverment supported food mail program took on ALL the costs of sharing local native food between the communities, then they could duke out the rest to get to the mess they have today, but at least the peaple that are going to need food on the table for themselves and their families would have had a chance at getting it..
Ok, I am off my soap box now..
Just another Day on the Farm 