Posted: November 13, 2019
Food security in Canada’s Northern and Indigenous communities has become a problem of near crisis proportion. Estimates by Food Banks Canada suggest that 1 in 5 households in the North skip meals or do not meet adequate dietary needs on a regular basis. Decreased access to traditional foods and increased reliance on store-bought foods are central aspects of this transition. The cost of store-bought food can be astronomical. The high cost of food, a lack of job opportunities, high levels of poverty, and decreasing consumption of traditional foods have combined to create a serious and pressing public health emergency.
***Students are to examine the causes of food insecurity in the North, the social and cultural consequences of food insecurity and propose possible solutions.*** Students should examine how the effects on Northern and Indigenous communities may differ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Students are encouraged to apply their understanding of the concepts of food sovereignty and the four dimensions of food security in their research and proposals.
Causes of food insecurity in the North can include climate change (the melting of ice roads), the cost of freight (unstable oil prices) and a shift from traditional to non-traditional food sources.
Consequences that may be explored include chronic health problems, lack of financial resources and cultural instability. The following table and diagram highlight consequences that may be explored further.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nutrition-north-budget-not-enough-1.3705546
https://www.feedingnunavut.com/food-insecurity-canadas-north/
---we will discuss creating a class rubric and the method of assessment in class Wed.Nov.13th---