Nutrition North Canada Frustration

Last week there was an Nutrition North Canada meeting. It left me feeling more frustrated than when I arrived! I suppose I felt "heard", but not optimistic that the problems would be ironed out at all.

The meeting involved a very rough overview of what the program was, how it is different from food mail, why it was changed. It's supposed to keep prices of healthy food reasonable in the North. There were a lot of great questions asked - lots about accountability of the program - how will the government and consumers know that subsidies that are given to participating stores are actually passed on to us? There were a lot of "the program is still in it's infancy, we are still working things out".

One of the remarks that impressed me most, and that really helped put things into perspective was by Ken Harper, owner of Arctic Ventures. He clearly explained how the program was set up to create a monopoly for the biggest stores at the expense of the smaller ones. Evil NorthMart has the biggest food order and therefore gets the best food rate for freight with the airlines. Say 90 cents per kilo. Ventures has a smaller order and can only negotiate 1 dollar per kg. The subsidy covers 50 cents for all stores, and that means the price evil NorthMart has to pay is so now 40 cents while Ventures is 50 cents, what was a 10% difference is now a 20% difference in favour of evil NorthMart. Now think about the fact that they're getting a whole lot bang for their buck because they order a lot more. How are smaller stores supposed to compete with this? They're clearly not. This system is designed to benefit the biggest, who already have insane mark-ups and profit margins in the North.

Who doesn't believe that the largest companies had their hands in someone's back pocket when this new system was cooked up? hmmm...

That's only one of about 40 different comments pointing out the shortsightedness of the new program and issues with it. Hopefully the newly appointed Board was listening, and hopefully they actually have the power to do something about it. I may have to post another blog to vent about how a number of reviews of prices are going on and that I've been keeping track of whether things are in fact getting cheaper. The preview answer is yes if you are buying only cheese from NorthMart, otherwise not exactly.

Sincerely, frustrated shopper.

A long overdue update!

I know. I've been MIA. Only because I have had a lot on the go. I suppose I will make an effort to continue to amuse the two people I know out there who actually read what I write, given that it's been an entire year since I last wrote.

It snowed this morning, a sticky wet snow that actually covered the ground, and then rained after. I know it's Iqaluit, but really, it's June 8th! I'm ready for the ice to break up and it's snowing! Maybe the weather is making up for the fact that it didn't even really snow until January up here this year?

There have actually been a decent amount of interesting things going on in town lately. Raffi came up for a concert a few weeks back (and even dropped in on one of the local choirs!) - yes - that Raffi that you remember from when you were 6. I was also invited last minute to a lobster dinner last weekend hosted by the franophone centre. It was 60 bucks, but they insisted that I accept my allotment of THREE lobsters, which up here you can't even get at the store, so in the end I figured 20 bucks each isn't all that bad. However, that's WAY too much lobster for me! I managed my way through two claws and couldn't seem to get past the feet and tail and into the rest of it, so 2.5 lobsters came home with me. Never thought I'd end up at a lobster dinner up here anyway!

In other news, I've decided that it might be a good idea to wear earplugs when walking outside on windy days. I seriously have ringing ears as if I had just left the bar some days! Now that's windy! Having lived in the "windy city of Canada", and I have to say I think Iqaluit wins the title from now on.

No one locks car doors or wears seatbelts around here??

I'm house-sitting, and therefore have a temporary vehicle. It's been great! I can finally take my car-less friends for "drives"! (Apparently this is a cool thing to do around here when you have time to kill... never mind that there aren't a whole lot of options in terms of roads to explore) The following options are those that I am aware of at this point:

• The road to the dump and the place everyone launches boats / snowmobiles / dog teams from (which I discovered by accident while trying to find Sylvia Grinell)
• The road network around Sylvia Grinell recreation area and river - a great spot for fishing
  
• The road up to the old US army base... incredibly they dismantled EVERYTHING up there when they packed up and left and all you can see is concrete bases where buildings used to be and the bottom halves of telephone polls.
  
• The road to Apex, a short drive to a little community just out of town (where the locals were re-located to be on the other side of the hill so that they wouldn't become involved with the army men at the base - did someone really think a short drive was going to keep a whole group of men away from the only women around?!)
• The "road to nowhere", which gets you.... you guessed it! Nowhere! It randomly ends about 3 miles out. It's quite a nice run! Very pretty.
  

Anyway, so not being quite in tune to the make and model of my temporary vehicle, I tend to look for "red SUV". That's exactly what I did when I came out from the gym one day, and to my surprise, found that I had hopped into the WRONG red SUV! How embarrassing! I hopped right out, laughing at my mistake. I got into the right vehicle, and then realized that whoever's car that was had left it unlocked. I looked to the car to my left, and sure enough, all the doors were also unlocked. hmmm...... Is it not cool to lock your doors or is there really no concern that anything in them will disappear? (In which case I think this is fantastic!)

Other funny experiences I have had in vehicles involve my continued attempts to try to buckle myself in, despite the fact that often seatbelts are either broken ("you might not want to do that... it probably won't let you out after!") or not present or permanently buckled, so that you can slip the chest strap over you and make it look like you're buckled up even though you're clearly not and the belt is in no way protecting you! I tried to explain to my room mate that it was habit, I couldn't forget to buckle up, I did it automatically, kind of like how you automatically wipe your bum... you just don't forget some things!

I am not all too optimistic that I'm going to start any kind of seatbelt wearing trend around here based on the reaction I get just from struggling to wear my own!

Opera & Musicals in the Store Foyer?

Yes, that's right. I was quite surprised to find that one of the stores here, Arctic Ventures, blasts opera / musical soundtracks in the entranceway. At first I thought it might have been some kind of promotion on the CD... or someone playing a joke... or a mistake... but no! Every time I visit, I am greeted with opera! Last time brought me right back to elementary school with Pirates of Penzance!

I was quite surprised and amused to learn that this is an attempt by the store to deter the drug dealers / others who loiter in the foyer and outside! Apparently it worked quite well initially, however, some seem to have adapted to it and have come back. I will have to look for these characters! I had been wondering why the foyer of Northmart, another grocery store seemed to be the "local loitering post" and what fun it could possibly be for young guys to hang about there. I initially suspected they'd be asking for food or panhandling, but it seems these are the instead the town's suppliers of illicit substances.

My room mate seemed surprised that I had never been asked if I was interested... however I have experienced being "discriminated against" in this manner in other countries as well... I seem not to have the right "look" or something... (??) I am simply never offered! At the very least they could give me the opportunity to say "no thank you", no? (I say this jokingly, however I really am perplexed!)

In other news, I no longer have to worry about my food disappearing and can go grocery shopping agin... for a number of reasons (this being one of them) that room mate (aka temporary squatter) was asked to leave. It seems this was a case of taking advantage of my other room mate's generosity and enough was enough. So it wasn't a strange food sharing custom I didn't understand!

Food "sharing"

Food up North is not cheap compared to down South. Items seem to vary from 1$ to 5$ more each than they would be down south, with heavy things (jars) and perishables such as fruits and veggies generally being among the most expensive. Here are a few items listed from one of my receipts in case anyone wants to compare:

Bananas - 3.99/kg

Tomatoes - 8.19 - 9.99/kg (different kinds)

Avocado - 2.45 each

Grapes - 10.85/kg

pkg 3 bell peppers - 10.89

1 pkg celery hearts - 5.09

pkg 5 bagels - 5.99

pkg 6 soft tortillas - 4.99

a dozen eggs - 3.99 / 5.99 (organic)

philly cream cheese small tub - 5.95

The few dollars extra really adds up quickly... one bag of groceries seems to be 50$ easily.

That said, even though it's more expensive I still enjoy sharing food... having people over for dinner, potlucks etc. I'm not a fan of cooking for myself so if there is someone else home I will generally ask if they'd like to have some of whatever I am cooking. I have invited my room mates for dinner twice now. The first time one said she'd show up and simply didn't (she's only home once a week anyway so that didn't surprise me all that much), and the other "fell asleep in the bathtub" and missed it. She didn't hesitate to help herself to the two pieces of fish left when I had gone out for the night, however! The next time she was at home when I was cooking and I invited her again, 5 minutes before I served dinner she confirmed she'd come down, and again she did not show up at all! And again she helped herself to leftovers. I am left assuming there might be something cultural I'm missing here?

Then there's the case of the vanishing food! I'm not sure if she thinks I don't notice or if by offering dinner those few times I've entered into some kind of "food sharing" circle unknowingly? At first I almost didn't notice, she's kind of sneaky like with the dishes... sliding extras into the pile to be washed but never actually washing any. It started with an orange or two (although clearly the peels were in the garbage)... peanut butter (peanut butter knives that weren't mine)... a few eggs... then within three days I found 3/6 of my tortillas, a can of tuna, and an ENTIRE package of bagels, that I had carefully cut in half and frozen in individual ziplocks had all completely disappeared! She has a good paying job that she can afford to go out and drink and for dinner (also insanely expensive here) which is something I don't even do, and she isn't paying rent at the moment so I don't think it's financial strain... I'm completely confused! She never says a thing about borrowing food and she hasn't replaced anything. Is this another case of food sharing and am I to assume that I can help myself to hers? (Not that I would be tempted based on what little she has in the fridge / freezer!)

I guess I only really enjoy sharing food when I feel that I am "offering" it or when things are somehow mutually beneficial. If at least she did the dishes and helped clean up ever I don't think I would feel quite so uncomfortable about the situation. I'm definitely house cleaner as well. For now I guess I'm going to stick to making things that she doesn't help herself to or I will never end up getting to eat any of the food I buy! So my primary diet until her new place is ready for her to move into: quinoi, vegetables, hummus, veggie burgers and beans. :)

Polarman!!

Now this is definitely something I did not expect!!

Iqaluit has its own superhero! His name is polar man. I caught a glimpse of him at a fundraiser dinner and silent auction at the francophone centre. He was dressed in a black head covering and black face mask and seemed to be immersed in a video game. I was told that he does good deeds like shovelling walks for those who can't in the winter and always shows up (in costume of course) at community events. Apparently only his mother can convince him to take his costume off! I googled him, and here is someone who seems to have captured his essence nicely:

http://laurenarcher.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/polarman-superhero-of-iqaluit/

Words cannot express just how awesome I think this guy's job is! I have to admit... I'd kind of like a secret help the world identity :)

The Arctic is melting... beware the melting snow!

The Arctic is melting! Sometimes you can tell and sometimes you can’t! If you decide to step off the path this time of year in the snow be prepared to end up with an entire leg deep in the snow! I had a good laugh at myself when I realized how funny I must have looked suddenly “sitting” in the snow in my way home and having to crawl out. You think I might have learned my lesson, however while on a run / hike / exploring trip this afternoon I walked across what seemed like only a small bit of snow and oops ended up with a soaking wet foot! I would never have guessed there was all that water under there! It was an unbelievable day to explore. The photos will have to speak for themselves :)

Monday night I ate Caribou stew and even a thin slice of frozen Caribou! It was at a community “feast” at the community hall. For those of you surprised at this, I’m against eating meat that is produced by mass farming/factory methods, but am okay with tasting meat from wild and locally hunted animals. The frozen caribou wasn’t cooked at all, and seemed to melt in my mouth. However, I have to say it didn’t taste like much to me, and I definitely don’t think I’ll be incorporating this into my diet, but it was certainly interesting. I wasn’t that taken by the Caribou stew either, but probably again because I’m not a huge fan of the taste of meat and am quite fond of my own veggie stews with non-meat spices and flavours.

Although there don’t seem to be any hiking or camping recreational groups in town, I have made a few unexpected and exciting discoveries to keep myself busy here. There is a non-profit volunteer-run gym open evenings and weekends, only a 5 minute walk from work… and they have aerobics and even Karate classes! I did a “fitathon” fundraiser on Saturday - 3 hours of step, ripped, yoga and pilates classes, quite the work out! There is also a Francophone Association that has been showing Montreal playoff games. When I first walked in there and was asked what I’d like to drink in French and listened to everyone around me speaking in French I almost felt like I was back in Quebec! Finally there is a social dance club, so I'm going to check that out on Sunday.

As a follow-up from my last post, I haven’t had any other unexpected middle of the night guests!