Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh used a B.C. food security platform to advocate for a national school lunch program in the upcoming budget.

含羞草研究社淧arents are doing everything they can to take care of their kids, but the cost of food just keeps going up. In a country as rich as ours, no child should ever have to go to school hungry,含羞草研究社� said Singh. 含羞草研究社淲hile parents make big sacrifices to keep food on the table, grocery store CEOs like Galen Weston are making record profits at Canadians含羞草研究社� expense.含羞草研究社�

He was joined Wednesday morning (March 6) by Vancouver Island NDP MPs Rachel Blaney and Gord Johns at a press conference hosted by Courtenay含羞草研究社檚 food security non-profit LUSH Valley, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of providing nutritious meals to students.

Singh is prioritizing a national school lunch program as one of his party含羞草研究社檚 chief objectives.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e making it very clear in this upcoming budget (that) one of our specific demands is that the federal government finally commit to a national school lunch program,含羞草研究社� said Singh. 含羞草研究社淲e want to make this happen across the country含羞草研究社� in every city, in every community, so that every kid can go to school and know that they含羞草研究社檒l have a healthy lunch.含羞草研究社�

In turn, such a program could also alleviate a significant source of stress and financial burden for parents across the country, believes the politician.

As the NDP leader stated, school districts across B.C. received provincial funding through the Feeding Futures program, but Singh is pushing the federal government to do its part.

Despite a good working relationship with the minority Liberal government, Singh remained critical of their involvement in solving the issue of food insecurity in schools.

含羞草研究社淚 want to point out that the Liberals have promised to bring (a national school lunch program) for years and haven含羞草研究社檛 done so,含羞草研究社� said Singh. 含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檝e been dragging their feet, stringing people along and that含羞草研究社檚 wrong.

含羞草研究社淲e are demanding that the Liberal government bring in funding for a national school lunch program so every kid can get access to a nutritious meal at school.含羞草研究社�

Singh also expressed dissatisfaction with the Conservatives含羞草研究社� handling of the situation.

含羞草研究社淩ecently we had a vote on a national school lunch program and Pierre Poilievre含羞草研究社檚 (party) voted against it,含羞草研究社� said Singh. 含羞草研究社淗ow could they look a kid in the eyes, who hasn含羞草研究社檛 been getting nutritious meals, and say they含羞草研究社檙e gonna vote against a school lunch program?含羞草研究社�

Before Singh含羞草研究社檚 address, NDP MP for Courtenay-Alberni Gord Johns took the chance to highlight the work of a local non-profit in fighting against food insecurity.

含羞草研究社淥rganizations like Lush Valley here in the Comox Valley are going above and beyond to ensure that people in our communities have food,含羞草研究社� said Johns. 含羞草研究社淕roups (like LUSH) are leading the way and are filling crucial gaps that are widening as poverty rates rise.含羞草研究社�

Yet, Johns recognized that the grunt of the work falls on non-profits across the country.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 crucial to point out that it should not fall to organizations like LUSH Valley to do this work without proper support from all levels of government,含羞草研究社� said Johns. 含羞草研究社淲hile the B.C. government has been a meaningful partner含羞草研究社� the federal government hasn含羞草研究社檛 been doing its share, (and) families are still waiting for this help. We need the federal government to fill the gap.含羞草研究社�

For LUSH Valley含羞草研究社檚 executive director Maurita Prato, potential help from the federal government could make a night and day difference amid this current crisis.

含羞草研究社淩ight now, we含羞草研究社檙e supporting 300 school district families through our (programs, but) there continues to be so much need,含羞草研究社� said Prato. 含羞草研究社�(Organizations like ours are) really pushing wraparound policies (and are asking) for the federal government含羞草研究社� to put in significant funds so that we can provide school food programming in a universal way so that every student has access to a meal across the country.含羞草研究社�

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