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A national school lunch program for Northern Ontario kids is long overdue, says Canada’s NDP

On Friday, Canada’s NDP called on the Liberals to deliver a National School Lunch program in the upcoming federal budget on April 16th.

Right now, food bank usage across the country is at its highest level since 1989 and more than one million children are living in poverty. In Sault Ste. Marie, a food bank is reportedly running out of food due to high demand—the NDP says the Liberals must act and deliver a national lunch program so no child goes to school hungry.

“We have children in our communities who don’t have access to nutritious food and go to school on an empty stomach—this shouldn’t be happening in Canada,” said NDP MP Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing). “Canadians are working hard to feed their family, but they can’t keep up with the sky-high cost of groceries while ultra-rich grocery CEOs are lining their pockets. Shamefully, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives voted against the program, and the Liberals dangle this promise every election but refuse to make it a reality. New Democrats want to put everyday families first by introducing a program that every child is fed.”

School lunch programs ensure that kids get a healthy meal each day. This helps them learn and grow without worrying about their next meal. It also gives parents much-needed relief at a time when Canadians are feeling the squeeze.

“While families stretch every dollar they have and grocery CEOs get even richer, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives voted against a school lunch program for kids this past December—this is heartless,” said NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay). “But when Canadians look at Poilievre’s track record, they see this just who he is. When he was a cabinet minister, he gave $55 billion in tax giveaways to large corporations—that’s where his priority lies. Not delivering food to the children who need it but protecting the interests of the rich and powerful.

“He’s not in it for working people and their families, but New Democrats will keep fighting so Northern Ontario families have the support they deserve.”

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