National school food program will help BIPOC communities, N.S. groups say

Plans for a national school food program could go a long way to addressing food security in Nova Scotia, advocates say. 

The need is keenly felt in Black and Indigenous communities, according to Wendie Wilson, a board member of Food Secure Canada, and a member of the Indigenous and Black People's Food Plan.

Wilson told CBC Radio's Information Morning Halifax that the $1 billion allocated for the program over the next five years could be used to build sustainable solutions to Black and Indigenous communities that have high rates of food insecurity.

She said she has worked to combat racism her whole life but became part of the movement for food self-reliance when she realized that food and nourishment were the "first fight."

"Fifty per cent of Indigenous children in this country are food insecure and 36 per cent of Black children in this country are food insecure, and about 12 per cent of white students are," Wilson said.  

"We need to make those numbers disappear," Wilson said.

Providing healthy and culturally appropriate food to children during the school day can help prevent medical conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, Wilson said..

A lack of food security is a systemic issue in Nova Scotia, according to Lindsay Corbin of the Nova Scotia Coalition for Healthy School Food. 

Food issue pushed aside

Education systems in the province are strapped for money and that has forced administrators, teachers and volunteers to push the issue of food to the side, Corbin told Information Morning Halifax.

Corbin said a Nova Scotia Auditor General's report on healthy eating showed that the province was not "measuring up right now."

She said federal government funds were needed to provide local flexibility and adaptability and Indigenous control over programs for Indigenous students.

"That's a huge part of this in terms of empowering students ...  to understand where their food comes from, be part of that food system within their schools and there's so many learning opportunities," Corbin said.

According to Wilson, Black people in Canada want separate consultations so their voices can be heard about issues around food and how to provide the most benefit to their communities. 

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.