Ottawa chips in to Manitoba’s school nutrition program

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This article was published 17/05/2024 (839 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added a little gravy to the Manitoba government’s universal school nutrition program set to roll out this fall by announcing a five-year, $1-billion national program.

Manitoba’s per capita share is expected to be more than $3 million a year, on top of the $30 million the province has budgeted for its nutrition program.

“It’s great to partner with a progressive government here in Manitoba to make sure kids can eat well and reach their full potential,” Trudeau said at a news conference Friday at Elwick Community School in Winnipeg.

“We can get great things done as we work together,” said the prime minister, who was flanked by children, Manitoba Education Minister Nello Altomare, Liberal MPs and First Nations leaders.

“We’re happy that the federal government is now joining us in this important initiative,” Altomare told reporters at the school in the Maples.

He reiterated that the provincial government will spend $30 million on Manitoba’s program and the additional federal money will be spent where the need is highest.

Jenna Sudds, the federal minister for families, children and social development, said Manitoba won’t get short shrift because it’s already funding a universal program.

“The dollars that we bring will augment that, so that more children will have access,” Sudds said. “Nobody wants to see children at school hungry. We share those values and this perspective with the province. We’ll ensure Manitoba gets (its) fair share,” the minister said.

Altomare, a former principal who’s been lobbying for such a program since he was elected in 2019, called it “supplementary funding that’s really going to help us in the area of the most need.”

Funding a universal school nutrition program, to be run by school divisions, was part of the NDP election campaign last fall.

Once elected, the NDP boosted funding to the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba to $3.87 million annually.

It supports nearly 400 school meal programs that feed 55,000 kindergarten to Grade 12 students daily.

More money for school nutrition from Ottawa is expected to further bolster school nutrition programs.

“It will allow them to expand what they’re doing, purchase a greater variety of nutritious foods,” said Clara Birnie, the council’s community dietitian and program grants manager.

“I’m already hearing from schools that now they’re able to buy more whole grains, more fruits and adding a snack at another time in the day,” she said.

Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak issued a statement applauding dedicated funding for First Nations students in the new national program.

“Food insecurity remains a significant issue within First Nations, with rates that exceed the national average,” said the grand chief at Friday’s announcement. “For students and families to start benefiting from these investments this fall, funding must be paired with community-specific solutions developed in partnership with First Nations. This includes culturally appropriate, holistic school food programs that provide every First Nations child access to healthy foods,” she said.

Trudeau said his government has pledged $67 million for after-school learning, mentorship and academic assistance to help students succeed, including Indigenous and at-risk youth.

“We’re fighting every day for a Canada where everyone has a real and fair chance to succeed,” Trudeau said, taking a shot at the opposition Tories. “This is a choice our government is making… something the Conservative party opposes every time we step up for Canadians who need it.”

Before Friday’s announcement, a news release from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called out the “so-called” national school food program.

“This program, by the Liberals’ own accounting, is anything but ‘universal’ as they like to claim and is only projected to cover around eight per cent of Canadian children (400,000 covered versus five million kids in public schools),” Poilievre said.

“I am sure the millions of parents of the 92 per cent of kids not covered would be shocked to learn this as you certainly wouldn’t know this based on Justin Trudeau’s dishonest photo ops.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca