‘The need is still there,’ says Yukon family about loss of rural nutrition program
It’s what Jordan’s Principle funding is meant for, say Jesse and Amanda Johnston of Watson Lake
A family in Watson Lake, Yukon, says the impact of losing the community’s rural nutrition program goes much deeper than Indigenous students not having access to two meals a day.
According to Jesse and Amanda Johnston, it also breaks trust that’s been building between Yukon First Nation communities and Canada.
The rural nutrition program was run by the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED), with funding through Jordan’s Principle. This year, however, YFNED’s application for funding was denied by Indigenous Services Canada.
Jordan’s Principle is a fund administered by the federal government since 2007, and is meant to ensure First Nations children do not face gaps accessing government services.
Jesse Johnston said losing funds for the rural school program, without having the National School Food Program or something else to take its place, creates a gap in services and goes against why Jordan’s Principle was created in the first place.
“The gap is still there. The need is still there, and there’s nothing there to replace it. And is what’s replacing it equitable to the services that were being provided, that had demonstrated outcomes of success that were structured from community, by community, that took years to build?” Jesse asked.
In 2024, the federal government committed $1 billion over five years to provide healthy meals to children through Canada’s National School Food Program. It designates about $7.3 million for the Yukon from August 1, 2024, to March 31, 2027. However, the Yukon government hasn’t started distributing the funding yet.
Jesse says funding should be reinstated for the rural nutrition program, right now.
“It’s not just food in schools. It’s hampers, it’s family supports, it’s employment.” Jesse said. “It’s helping families connect to healthy food choices. It’s connecting to the land through traditional harvest. It’s families being a part of the food preparation processes to learn those life skills with their children.”
Amanda is a former Liard First Nation councillor and played a big part in bringing the rural nutrition program to Watson Lake in 2020. She also said she is very disheartened to see the funding cut for the program after it has helped so many Indigenous families.
“We now have an industrial kitchen,” she said. “We had a successful program that was deeply rooted in connection with families, with students, and with government, with YFNED [Yukon First Nation Education Directorate].
“We had this great momentum and all of a sudden it’s a complete halt.”
Amanda said in order for any food programs to not just operate, but actually serve the community’s needs, there is going to have to be a commitment from all levels of government.
“I am hopeful, and looking forward to seeing how this [Yukon] government formed and how they plan to roll that out,” Amanda said, referring to the National School Food Program.
She also said that she hopes that the new program can build on what’s been developed in communities over the last few years, “and we can get this back and learn from this pause.”
CBC News reached out to Indigenous Services Canada for an interview about Jordan’s Principle funding. Nobody was available but the department sent a statement by email.
It said that the funding can provide Indigenous children and families with access to many supports, but is “not intended nor structured to displace government income assistance through ‘universal’ programs such as school food programs.”
It also said that the 2025 federal budget, tabled this week, proposes to “make the National School Food Program permanent, with $216.6 million annually starting in 2029-30.”
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Impacts of Jordan’s principle funding cuts already evident in N.W.T. community, CBC News
Finland: One in 10 Finnish families with young children dealing with food insecurity: survey, Yle News
United States: New farm bill program aims to fight food insecurity in Alaska, Alaska Public Media
