The ministry of children, community and social services is missing the point when it comes to school nutrition programs, according to a Simcoe County school trustee.
During the Simcoe County District School Board’s regular board meeting on Feb. 26, a letter was included in the consent agenda from the province’s minister of children, community and social services Michael Parsa regarding funding for student nutrition programs in Simcoe County, following the board sending their own letter to the ministry of education late last year asking for more help.
“I was extremely disappointed in the letter we received back,” said Adjala-Tosorontio/Clearview/CFB Borden/Essa trustee Brandy Rafeek. “The letter we sent was discussing concern that new schools are not receiving any nutrition funding.”
“That wasn’t even mentioned here at all,” she said.
In Parsa’s letter dated Jan. 28, he references the student nutrition program and the First Nations student nutrition program, and includes data on how well those programs are used across Ontario and how much funding the province has provided for them. He points to the province’s Healthy Students Brighter Ontario Campaign, which advocates with outside agencies to encourage people to participate in school nutrition programs. He points to the new national program that was announced last year.
“They are extremely appreciated, great programs. They are underfunded. Every one of them needs more,” said Rafeek. “Our concerns were not even addressed in that letter.”
Rafeek said she wants to have a respectful relationship with all provincial ministries.
In the letter originally sent by the board to the ministry, the SCDSB has called on the province to create a student nutrition program that would provide consistent and equitable access to healthy food for all students, regardless of their socio-economic background, and asks that the provincial government match the federal governments commitment to the national program.
“When you get a response that doesn’t even touch on the topic, it’s disrespectful,” she said.
At the end of her remarks, Rafeek brought forward a notice of motion calling on the board chair Dana Powell to write another letter to the ministry.
“Our concerns are clearly being ignored,” she said.
When the board sent their letter to the ministry regarding funding for new school food programs, they also sent a similar request to the ministry of education and the County of Simcoe. Rafeek said the county request is also still outstanding at this time. Rafeek's motion will be voted on at a future school board meeting.