Food Prices in Northern Canada Spiraling Out of Control

[Conley]

Nunavut is the edge of the world in a lot of ways — it’s the farthest-north part of Canada, a broken-up spray of frozen land coming off the top of the country like a very icy mohawk. In terms of land mass, it’s bigger than any other Canadian province or territory, with an area the size of Western Europe, but its population (mostly Inuit) is smaller than Berkeley’s — and I mean the university, not the town.

So it’s remote, and cold, and sparsely settled, but none of that really explains why food is so outrageously expensive that the basic necessities of life are beyond normal people’s reach. Now, the locals are starting to get fed up (not literally, because they can’t afford it), and they’re agitating for government attention to their unsustainable cost of living. Cabbage that costs $28? Chicken for $65 a pound? They’re having Nunavut. (Sorry.) (Not sorry.)


http://grist.org/list/28-cabbage-65-chicken-and-other-insane-food-prices-in-northern-canada-2/

So who's still thinking about moving there if Obama wins a second term? :laugh:

[Deadwood]

First off, pointing to the one of the most remote parts of the world and suggesting anyone live there is stretching the fabric of the debate. As you pointed out it is 98% Inuit, a people who have been living off seal, bear and whale most of their existence.

Also, what the article does not say is that it is spring in the far north. The ice roads have melted, but the ground if not dry and hard enough yet so everything has to be flown in.

And, finally, it is always dangerous to make assumptions about a place when there are people around who live there. What most Americans don't know is that 90% of the Canadian population resides and works within 100 miles of the US border, most with a higher standard of living than their American neighbors.

But, please don't move here is Obama gets elected......

[Conley]

I admit I may have posted this trying to get a response from our Canadian members. :wink:

Still, you have to admit regardless of the remote area those food prices are beyond belief. If anyone read this and thought I was suggesting the rest of Canada is like that, I apologize. I think it is an interesting story in many respects.

[Goldie Locks]

I guess regardless of where in Canada, how do these people pay these prices???

[Beevee]

I guess regardless of where in Canada, how do these people pay these prices???

As you may have read in an earlier post, most Canadians live close to the US border. Many shop there and take advantage of the $billion subsidies your government makes to it's farmers.

Perhaps that's why your food is so cheap - or didn't you realise that?

[Calypso Jones]

how many inuit eat cabbage do ya think?

[Deadwood]

[QUOTE=Goldie Locks;86177]I guess regardless of where in Canada, how do these people pay these prices???[/QUOTE


Government handouts.

True. The last stat I saw showed that the Canadian government annually shelled out $85,000 per first nations member per year. Granted, that includes native band spending, administration but is tax out, does not include health care, infrastructure like housing and so forth. Even if the admin overhead is 30%, which is high even for Canadian standards, another 25% for support programs etc, and that leaves $45,000 a year tax free per native.

[Deadwood]

how many inuit eat cabbage do ya think?

It would be used in the cole slaw at the local KFC

[Peter1469]

As you may have read in an earlier post, most Canadians live close to the US border. Many shop there and take advantage of the $billion subsidies your government makes to it's farmers.

Perhaps that's why your food is so cheap - or didn't you realise that?

That cheap food is the highly processed stuff made on the factory farms. It is crap and will harm your health over the long haul. I don't buy that crap.

[roadmaster]

As you may have read in an earlier post, most Canadians live close to the US border. Many shop there and take advantage of the $billion subsidies your government makes to it's farmers.

Perhaps that's why your food is so cheap - or didn't you realise that?

Many of the south and east grow our own. I can't see myself paying that much for chicken.

[Conley]

It just seems nuts. Either someone is willing to pay $28 for a cabbage or if not it just sits there on the grocery shelf until it rots. Neither one makes any sense.

[roadmaster]

It just seems nuts. Either someone is willing to pay $28 for a cabbage or if not it just sits there on the grocery shelf until it rots. Neither one makes any sense.

Why don't they use green houses? In the long run It would cost less.

[Beevee]

[QUOTE=Goldie Locks;86177]I guess regardless of where in Canada, how do these people pay these prices???[/QUOTE


Government handouts.

True. The last stat I saw showed that the Canadian government annually shelled out $85,000 per first nations member per year. Granted, that includes native band spending, administration but is tax out, does not include health care, infrastructure like housing and so forth. Even if the admin overhead is 30%, which is high even for Canadian standards, another 25% for support programs etc, and that leaves $45,000 a year tax free per native.

How does that stand up to the $20b paid annually by the US government to farmers in food subsidies?

Perhaps the question should be 'How can the US citizen shop at such low prices?'

[Beevee]

That cheap food is the highly processed stuff made on the factory farms. It is crap and will harm your health over the long haul. I don't buy that crap.

So the Food and Drug Administration doesn't oversee crap processing in factory farms then? Perhaps I should no longer shop at Wal-Mart.

[roadmaster]

So the Food and Drug Administration doesn't oversee crap processing in factory farms then? Perhaps I should no longer shop at Wal-Mart.
Maybe you shouldn't. Fresh tomatoes, squash, okra all taste better home grown. In fact they are better for you.

[Beevee]

Maybe you shouldn't. Fresh tomatoes, squash, okra all taste better home grown. In fact they are better for you.

Thanks for the advice but I was a WWII baby. As I survived on powdered milk, powdered eggs and green cheese, being deprived of adequate sugar and proteins as well as tolerating German bombings on London, I don't think home grown produce is my greatest concern.

[Peter1469]

So the Food and Drug Administration doesn't oversee crap processing in factory farms then? Perhaps I should no longer shop at Wal-Mart.

No they don't.

[Beevee]

No they don't.

:shocked: I'll take my chances. I have every faith in the USA. :wink:

[Peter1469]

:shocked: I'll take my chances. I have every faith in the USA. :wink:

I shouldn't say no; I should say, not much.

Great- that saves good food for me.