Food mail benefits retailers, not consumers

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

I find it extremely interesting that northern retailers are going to make the food mail program an election issue during this upcoming federal election.

According to CBC North, the Northern and the Arctic Co-ops want the rates lowered. Up front, this sounds like a great idea — northerners can afford to buy more healthy food such as milk, cheese, fruits and vegetables. The only problem is that the Northern and Co-op stores across Nunavut pay cheap rates for food mail already, yet none of this is being passed on to the consumers.

Lower food mail rates aren’t going to affect me, the consumer. It is only going to pad the stores’ pockets even more. I can bring in food from Yellowknife far cheaper than I can buy it locally. I can buy a 4-litre jug of milk from Yellowknife at their retail prices, ship it up here and pay half of the local price of $13.99 for this same jug of milk.

Go ahead northern retailers, make this an election issue. I hope all northerners will finally speak out about who this program is really benefiting.

Vicki Aitaok
Cambridge Bay

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