Here’s the hard-to-swallow truth about hunger

Community, camaraderie, and “care-mongering”– an almost obsessive tendency toward being helpful— were emblematic of Canada’s first pandemic wave. We were all in this together. The fear and anxiety felt by everyone was powerfully unifying. Now, as the third wave drags on, our spirits have been dulled by the painful truth of structural and unjust inequality. Simply put: we’re not all in this together. There is a clear and widening divide between those who have and those who do not. The uneven vaccine rollout in some provinces is a stark example. In Ontario, data shows that wealthier neighbourhoods with lower COVID-19 cases, such as Moore Park had significantly higher vaccination rates than lower-income neighbourhoods with more risk, such as Jane and Finch. Similarly, women are critical to Canada’s economy, yet nearly half a million who lost their jobs during the pandemic hadn’t returned to work at the start of 2021. Less pay than men and the cost of childcare discourages women from fully participating in the workforce. Not only does this hinder Canada’s economic recovery, but it threatens women’s overall economic independence. The disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on low-income workers, women, and visible minorities is startling. However, we mustn’t forget that these groups were already fighting an uphill battle before the pandemic. The events of the last 15 months have pulled back the curtain to reveal the elephant in the room. The blindfold so many of us were sheepishly wearing has been stripped away; no longer can we turn a blind eye to what’s really happening. Hunger is one of several societal problems that bulldozes its way through our cities. It’s time to take our diplomatic gloves off and call “food insecurity” what it is—hunger. Before COVID-19, nearly 4.5 million Canadians couldn’t provide adequate food for themselves and their families. By June 2020, that number grew by 39 per cent, impacting one in seven people. The problem runs even deeper for certain demographics. Households with children led by single mothers are especially vulnerable to hunger, creating a ripple effect that impacts mental and physical health, social connection, and employment. Additionally, numerous North American researchers have found that both limited access and food deserts have a negative effect on the emotional eating, coping and depressive symptoms in low-income Black women. "Food deserts"—neighbourhoods where it’s difficult to find affordable, healthy food—are increasingly part of the backdrop of lower income urban neighbourhoods. Malnutrition and deprivation is an urgent problem, and it’s clear that food is not the only answer. Canada’s social safety net is lagging, letting far too many people fall through its cracks. As social and economic gaps stretch, the cost-of-living also increases—and with it so does hunger. The 2021 federal budget aims to fix the system. Ottawa’s $30-billion investment in affordable childcare and early learning will reduce the high costs of childcare that families grapple with, leaving more money on the table for food. The government is also adding $140-million to the Emergency Food Security Fund and Local Food Infrastructure Fund that seeks to build a healthier, more sustainable food system in Canada. Work is being done at the local level, too. A report entitled “Advancing Black Food Sovereignty” is being pushed through the government to improve access to food in the Black community. It calls for systemic changes and culturally relevant food and nutrition programs. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for almost 40 years and witnessed our society’s inequality firsthand. Hunger is a very real and raw side of humanity. The pandemic shock felt by women, low-income workers and racialized workers reveals just how stretched Canada’s social safety net is. We must sharpen our approach in the fight for progress and protect those who need it most. Julia Hanna is a community builder and food activist with more than 38 years’ experience in the restaurant industry. The Hill Times

Here’s the hard-to-swallow truth about hunger

Malnutrition and deprivation is an urgent problem, and it’s clear that food is not the only answer. Canada’s social safety net is lagging, letting far too many people fall through its cracks.

How can Ontario achieve net zero, with greater energy reliability and resilience? Roadmap to a clean energy future

It’s time to unleash Canada’s energy advantage

Language matters: measuring what you are versus what you are not

The Federal Court decision to overturn the single-use plastic ban is a step backwards for the planet—and our health

Is it better to talk about unity and not practise it, or not talk about it at all?

Poilievre’s miscues won’t save Trudeau

Child care is Trudeau Liberals’ greatest legacy, but everyone appears to have moved on

Liberal, NDP deal brings hope in fog of Ottawa politics

COVID-19 derails global quest to end tuberculosis

Northern countries need to avoid COVID colonialism

Children everywhere need access to nutritious food, says Ottawa reader

News

Get free news updates

Opinion

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

Advertise

subscribe

get help

Here’s the hard-to-swallow truth about hunger

Malnutrition and deprivation is an urgent problem, and it’s clear that food is not the only answer. Canada’s social safety net is lagging, letting far too many people fall through its cracks.

Get The Weekend Point of View Newsletter