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Laurie in Question Period

Food Banks

Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. “Kraft Dinner is not a comfort food for those obliged to eat it.” So says the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, whose August report shows that Albertans forced to rely on the nonperishable items available at food banks suffer from food insecurity, the inability to obtain sufficient nutritious food through normal channels. My questions are to the minister of health. Does the minister recognize that the reliance of poor Albertans on the processed food available through food banks creates conditions that burden the health care system?

Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, there’s no question that healthy eating is part of healthy living, but the government is not responsible for what each one of 3.2 million Albertans eats.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you. Again to the same minister: given that 30 per cent of Albertans using food banks have jobs and still have to rely on one of over a hundred food banks in Alberta and given the increasing economic turmoil, how does this government plan to address the growing gap between the haves, those who have access to food, and the have-nots, those who don’t, in this province?

Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, we have a number of programs that I’m sure the hon. Minister of Seniors and Community Supports would be happy to talk about, but at the end of the day this is a province that has opportunity for everyone, and we’re proud of that.

Ms Blakeman: Well, to the same minister: will the government follow the advice of its own report and create a fund to support the efforts of the Alberta Food Bank Network and the Calgary Inter-faith Food Bank to ensure that Albertans in need have access to fresh, perishable food and not just mac and cheese?

Mr. Liepert: Well, Mr. Speaker, there are a number of accusations in all of those preambles to the questions, and I would have a look at what the hon. member is talking about relative to the document and see how it can be worked into such things as our nutritional guidelines for schools.