Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet, 8” HD Display Buy Now
Augusta Women's Wayfarer Shorts Buy Now
Blisset 3 Pack High Waisted Leggings for Women Buy Now
Y2K Crop Tops Buy Now
Calvin Klein Bella Crossbody Buy Now
Runnatal Dish Drying Rack Buy Now
Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR w/ 18-55mm Lens Buy Now
3-Pack No-See-Thru Yoga Leggings Buy Now
Two-Button Tweed Sport Coat Buy Now
Mens Fashion Henley Shirt Classic Buy Now
OYOANGLE Mens Baggy Dress Pants Buy Now
Aldo Legoirii Tote Buy Now
Men's Blazer Casual Slim Fit Buy Now
Northwest Batman Cloud Pillow Buy Now
Ripped Slim Fit Denim Jeans Buy Now
Sleeveless Slim Crop Tank Top Buy Now
London Fog Men's Auburn Golf Jacket Buy Now
Motorized Rotating Display Stand for Jewelry Buy Now
OQQ Women's 2 Piece Skirts Buy Now
Insignia Fire TV 32 inch Smart HD 720p Buy Now
MoreBack to News Headlines
Federal government commits to creation of national school food program

Federal government commits to creation of national school food program

CBC
Monday, April 1, 2024 5:34 PM GMT

The federal government says it will launch a national school food program, hoping to deliver meals to an additional 400,000 children per year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement during an event in Toronto on Monday, the latest in a series of public appearances by the prime minister and his cabinet ministers ahead of the federal budget planned for April 16.

"We all want kids to have the best start in life, including the most vulnerable," Trudeau said during the event.

"When a kid walks up before class and says 'I'm hungry,' it means we all have more work to do as a school community and as a country."

The federal government will spend $1 billion over five years to implement the program. That figure mirrors a 2021 campaign promise made by the governing Liberals.

Freeland said the government hoped to have the program in place for the 2024-2025 school year.

Canada is the only G7 country that does not have a national school food program, according to the Breakfast Club of Canada. Advocates have argued that a national program is needed to fill gaps left by a patchwork of provincial, local and charitable programs that are under strain due to low resources and high food prices.

"Canadian families are struggling. With inflation pushing food prices to stratospheric levels, we know that a national school food program would help children and youth access nutritious food, which would then support their mental health, behaviour and study habits," Debbie Field, co-ordinator of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, said in a Feb. 27 media statement.

The school food program is not one of the policy provisions set out under the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence deal, which has seen the New Democrats support the government in key votes for two years. But the NDP recently called for the federal government to implement a program.

"Parents are doing everything they can to take care of their kids, but the cost of food just keeps going up," NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a media statement last month. "In a country as rich as ours, no child should ever have to go to school hungry."

In a post on social media on Monday, Singh referred to the program as a "demand" of his party.

Provinces have jurisdiction over education in Canada. Trudeau said Monday the government would work with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners on implementing the program, including through augmentations to existing policies.

Trudeau defended a series of measures to which the government committed significant monetary resources — such as pharmacare, dental care and child care programs — even as it commits to fiscal responsibility in the upcoming budget.

Last December, Conservatives voted against a private member's bill that would have established a national framework for a school food program.

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Information sharing with Alberta has improved since Kearl tailings spills, says N.W.T. minister

The N.W.T.'s environment minister says communication with the Alberta government has improved since a pair of oil spills several years ago. 

Fentanyl seizures are up at the U.S. northern border — but Canada is still a very small player

The latest data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows an uptick in the amount of fentanyl seized near the American northern border with Canada — but the quantities intercepted remain a tiny fraction of what's coming from Mexico.

Calgary Stampede: What the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth says about the economy

The purple toasted cob of corn shines under the afternoon sun as 25-year-old Allison Zhou lifts it up to show her friends on the opening day of the Calgary Stampede. It's ube-flavoured and covered in white and black sesame seeds. The cost? $15.

More and more influencers are offering financial advice on TikTok and YouTube. Should you take it?

If you've ever wondered how to navigate the stock market, build a budget or plan for retirement, your first stop might've once been a parent, a trusted friend or an advisor at the bank. 

Ontario group marks 40 years of keeping the history of Canada's WW II 'pilot maker' alive

For prospective young pilots intending to join the Allied effort during the Second World War, the Harvard was the ultimate training plane — but it also posed a key test. 

It's bananas: Churchill Park Music Festival books Gwen Stefani

There's no doubt that the Churchill Park Music Festival lineup is glittering with star power, with Gwen Stefani added as the latest headliner announced for the St. John's event.

3 dead in motorcycle crashes on N.S. highways this week

Three people have died in motorcycle crashes on Nova Scotia roads this week.

Topless Tuesday back on after liquor regulators force small N.B. resort to cancel event

In the lead-up to Hope Wellness Eco-Resort's first Topless Tuesday of this year, Katie Carson was surprised by a phone call she got from a man concerned about the event.

Man accused of running Canada's largest grandparent scam network arrested in Quebec

Gareth West, the alleged leader of a network of grandparent scammers accused of defrauding $30 million from American seniors, has been arrested.

Accessibility minister will keep her job after comments about sign-language interpreter: Manitoba premier

Premier Wab Kinew said Manitoba's accessibility minister will remain in her position after she apologized for swearing into a hot mic about sharing a stage with a sign-language interpreter.

Edmonton public hearing to resume next week, after heated city council exchange

Edmonton city council reluctantly voted to continue a public hearing next week — their vacation period — after Friday evening's debate led to swears being thrown.

CFIA confirms Prince Edward Island's 1st case of dermo, in oysters from Egmont Bay

Canadian Food Inspection Agency lab tests have confirmed the presence of the highly damaging mollusc disease dermo in oysters from P.E.I.'s Egmont Bay. 

City names laneway after Black woman who made difference to early Toronto

Toronto has officially named a laneway in the city's east end after a Black woman who made a big impact on her community in the early 1900s.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Jonathan Toews's healing journey: From long COVID back to the NHL

Researchers working on treatments and cures for long COVID are closely watching newly signed Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews's healing journey — and his return to the NHL after two years away.

Fortis Canada Games Complex opens it doors ahead of summer event

Local athletes will have the chance to test out the facilities they will soon compete in during the 2025 Canada Games in St. John's.

Artist from Sudbury, Ont., takes on new challenge a year after brain surgery

More than a year after she had surgery following a brain aneurysm, Sudbury, Ont., artist Monique Legault says she's been keeping busy with her work.

Saga of Black Refugees who left N.S. 200 years ago shaped a Canadian trailblazer

When Rhonda McEwen received her official royal letter of appointment as an honorary captain of the Canadian navy in Halifax on June 21, it marked the latest chapter in her remarkable family history.

Woman charged with impaired driving after car crashes into Toronto restaurant

A woman has been charged with impaired driving after allegedly driving into a restaurant in Toronto early Saturday morning, police say. 

Ambulance response times improve in early months of Winnipeg's new 911 dispatch system

Ambulances are getting to life-threatening emergencies faster since the launch of a five-priority dispatch system around two months ago, according to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

Sask.'s mortgage delinquency rate is highest among provinces, but it's getting worse in Ont. and B.C.

Tyler Fransen lost his Saskatoon home this spring after he missed mortgage payments due to financial circumstances and life situations that sent him over the tipping point.

New youth mental health centre planned for Fort McMurray

A youth mental health facility planned for construction in Fort McMurray hopes to provide services that many families in the community are currently forced to travel hundreds of kilometres to access. 

The chaos at Kamloops council continues as mayor's pursuit of forensic financial audit fails

The divide at Kamloops city council appears to be wider than ever following the recent defeat of a controversial motion put forward by Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson to conduct a forensic audit of all city departments and management practices.

How this Caldwell First Nation youth is helping to save turtles in Point Pelee

For the last four years, Sydney Simpson has been spending turtle nesting season walking along roadways and trails in Point Pelee.

Thunder Bay police block streets while on scene of incident on north side

Thunder Bay police have escorted a woman out of the building in the 100 block section of Cumberland Street North where they continue to respond to an ongoing incident.

Toronto still struggling to track snow plows with GPS, auditor finds

The city's plan to use GPS and field checks to track the work of snow-clearing contractors is still ineffective, Toronto's auditor general found in a new report.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us