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

91裸聊视频淧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,91裸聊视频� said Singh. 91裸聊视频淲hile parents make big sacrifices to keep food on the table, grocery store CEOs like Galen Weston are making record profits at Canadians91裸聊视频� expense.91裸聊视频�

He was joined Wednesday morning (March 6) by Vancouver Island NDP MPs Rachel Blaney and Gord Johns at a press conference hosted by Courtenay91裸聊视频檚 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 party91裸聊视频檚 chief objectives.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙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,91裸聊视频� said Singh. 91裸聊视频淲e want to make this happen across the country91裸聊视频� in every city, in every community, so that every kid can go to school and know that they91裸聊视频檒l have a healthy lunch.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淚 want to point out that the Liberals have promised to bring (a national school lunch program) for years and haven91裸聊视频檛 done so,91裸聊视频� said Singh. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檝e been dragging their feet, stringing people along and that91裸聊视频檚 wrong.

91裸聊视频淲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.91裸聊视频�

Singh also expressed dissatisfaction with the Conservatives91裸聊视频� handling of the situation.

91裸聊视频淩ecently we had a vote on a national school lunch program and Pierre Poilievre91裸聊视频檚 (party) voted against it,91裸聊视频� said Singh. 91裸聊视频淗ow could they look a kid in the eyes, who hasn91裸聊视频檛 been getting nutritious meals, and say they91裸聊视频檙e gonna vote against a school lunch program?91裸聊视频�

Before Singh91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淥rganizations like Lush Valley here in the Comox Valley are going above and beyond to ensure that people in our communities have food,91裸聊视频� said Johns. 91裸聊视频淕roups (like LUSH) are leading the way and are filling crucial gaps that are widening as poverty rates rise.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 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,91裸聊视频� said Johns. 91裸聊视频淲hile the B.C. government has been a meaningful partner91裸聊视频� the federal government hasn91裸聊视频檛 been doing its share, (and) families are still waiting for this help. We need the federal government to fill the gap.91裸聊视频�

For LUSH Valley91裸聊视频檚 executive director Maurita Prato, potential help from the federal government could make a night and day difference amid this current crisis.

91裸聊视频淩ight now, we91裸聊视频檙e supporting 300 school district families through our (programs, but) there continues to be so much need,91裸聊视频� said Prato. 91裸聊视频�(Organizations like ours are) really pushing wraparound policies (and are asking) for the federal government91裸聊视频� 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.91裸聊视频�

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