There used to be a sign that gave a phone number for those wanting to complain. Problem is when people called, it went to voicemail and no one ever called back. No wonder - probably most of the calls were about the cost of food in Fort Simpson.
People learn to swallow the situation as it is.
In most communities where I have been working this year, people generally want to talk about the high cost of affordable housing or lack thereof. This is important in Fort Simpson, too, but the cost of food tops the list.
People can't wait to tell you how expensive it is.
When you pay $11 or $12 for a bag of salad that costs $7 in Yellowknife, or $18 for a bag of green grapes that might cost $6 in the city, people will almost always complain.
When tourists come to this beautiful island SA国际影视传媒� an eight hour drive from Yellowknife and about the same from High Level SA国际影视传媒� they take pictures of the endless miles of sandy white beaches and plush forest that cocoon this community of around 1,100 people. It is probably one of the most overlooked and underrated tourist hotspots in the NWT.
But they also take pictures of the food prices because most visitors can't believe it and donSA国际影视传媒檛 think their friends would either.
Sadly, Fort Simpson is also the food hub for even smaller communities such as Jean Marie River and Trout Lake whose residents would have to stay overnight if they travel to a larger centre if they went south, or north, to buy food. That means gas and hotel costs must be added to the grocery bill, so long trips are rare.
It also means that diets can consist of the cheapest edible going: junk food. Bags and bags of chips and other assorted food which offers little nutritional benefits. This has a ripple effect as bad diets result in bad health which, in the end, taxpayers pay for as well.
Hit the hardest are those who have the least amount of money because they cannot afford to travel to shop nor afford good food.
Consumers have noticed an interesting anomaly with food pricing. For example, when prices go up because the ferry is out or there is no way across the river, they rarely come back down.
This is not just an issue that the territorial government needs to address, it also needs to be reviewed by Ottawa too. For the North, it has become a sovereignty issue.
This situation also breaches the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission since most of those on the streets and on low incomes are First Nations people, which means they are the ones most affected by these prices. Poor diet contributes to feelings of despair and hopelessness and a lack of self-worth. It means that those in these tiny hamlets are being ignored, even though their presence is meant to enforce Canadian sovereignty.
These communities are second to none in Canada with their breathtaking settings SA国际影视传媒� they could be tourist meccas and income generators if policy makers paid more attention to what is offered and did the necessary work: new roads, bridges and affordable prices.
But beyond that, people who live there have a basic right to affordable and good quality food and it is the government's responsibility to ensure that is provided.
September is a good time for new inquiries, so how about we do some on food provision and increase the quality of life for everyone?
SA国际影视传媒擭ancy Vail is a longtime Yellowknifer concerned with social justice.
