Key informant interviews were conducted from January — March A total of 22 individuals participated in the interview process. Key informants include representatives from the following:. The intent of the interviews was to gather knowledge, perceptions and opinions about the following evaluation themes: relevance and rationale; design and delivery; effectiveness; cost effectiveness; alternatives; and, accountability.
Preliminary consultations with FMP working group members and suggestions from the Evaluation Manager and the evaluation team resulted in the identification of key informant participants. Potential interviewees were contacted and asked to take part. Interviews were conducted in-person and by telephone. In one instance, interviewee responses were emailed to the team. Case study research helps to increase our understanding of a complex issue and can add strength to what is already known through previous research.
Case studies emphasize detailed contextual analysis of a limited number of events or conditions and their relationships. A key strength of the case study method involves using multiple sources and techniques in the data gathering process. The information collected is typically primarily qualitative, but it may also be quantitative.
Tools to collect data include: interviews, focus groups, document review, and on site observation. The rationale for using the case study approach was to spend a concentrated amount of time in the communities days and entry points The community case studies were conducted to determine the extent to which the program is achieving its objectives and to better understand the impacts of the program on users. The community case studies primarily addressed the evaluation themes of design and delivery and effectiveness, although there were questions focused on relevance and rationale, cost effectiveness, and alternatives.
Input obtained from the evaluation working group and the Evaluation Manager, as well as the evaluation team, resulted in the identification of potential case study community locations. Final selection of the sample was decided upon by the Evaluation Manager. An alternate list of communities was also developed as a "back-up" in the event that the evaluation team was not granted permission to enter the selected communities.
When conducting case studies in Aboriginal communities or communities composed primarily of First Nations or Inuit peoples , it is important that the intent of the evaluation, the evaluation activities being carried out, and the types of community stakeholders to be involved in the evaluation are clearly communicated to the community leadership and to the community members as a whole. This was followed up by phone calls to key individuals in the community by the evaluation team.
A total of nine communities were selected and case studies conducted between the weeks of December 1, and February 8, refer to Table 3. A team of two evaluators participated in each community visit: each team had a minimum of one and in most cases, two senior evaluators with extensive experience in conducting consultations in Aboriginal communities. During the community visit, a number of data collection methods were employed to allow the team to collect as much program data as possible in the allotted time:. In a few instances, when key informants were unavailable during a community visit, telephone interviews were carried out after the identified study period.
Over the course of the nine community case study visits, individuals participated in interviews and focus group discussions.
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In some instances, interviews were scheduled prior to entering the community and in others, they were set up while there. The intent of the entry point studies was to gather information pertaining to quality control, packaging and shipping of FMP eligible items. The site visits also provided the opportunity to observe the food mail transportation and inspection processes. The entry point studies were conducted to assess evaluation issues, particularly those related to program design and delivery, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
The entry point locations were selected by the Evaluation Manager in consultation with the evaluation working group and the evaluation team. Three entry point case study locations were chosen: Yellowknife, Val d'Or and Winnipeg. Entry point visits were conducted from December to February With the assistance of the CPC Food Mail Coordinator, key informant interviewees were identified for each of the three entry points.
Potential participants were contacted and asked to take part in the interview process. A total of eight individuals were interviewed at each location some in-person and some by telephone. A total of 24 entry point interviews were conducted, eight in each site. The Yellowknife and Winnipeg entry points involved site visits that lasted from a day to a day and a half.
During that time, key informant interviews were conducted with airline representatives, wholesalers and Canada Post- FMP personnel. The Val d'Or site visit took place after the interviews were carried out by telephone. This occurred because of the constrained evaluation timelines, combined with other logistical factors, which made it next to impossible to coordinate a satisfactory number of interviews over a day and a half period. Thus, the evaluators spoke with airline representatives, a number of southern wholesalers, and CPC - FMP staff associated with the Val d'Or site to obtain sufficient information to enable a good understanding of the issues, and followed this up with a visit to the site for an inspection of the operations.
This approach enabled a comprehensive review of the entry point. The evaluation found strong evidence and overwhelming agreement that the FMP fills a need now and in the future.
The FMP is described as an "essential service" since it provides food which is considered a basic need. Because of the program, isolated, northern communities are able to access healthy, nutritious food at a reduced cost. Currently, there is no other way to provide southern, nutritious foods that are affordable and accessible to northerners.
The discontinuation of the FMP would have an enormous impact on food costs that are already considered too high for many Aboriginal families. It is estimated that people would pay at least two to three more for food items without access to the FMP. Only high-income earners - primarily those from the south e. Those unemployed and dependent on income assistance — primarily Aboriginal people - would be forced to spend all of their monetary resources on food, leaving no available income for spending on other necessities. Multiple sources of evidence support the fact that an increase in food costs for those on limited incomes, and already experiencing food insecurity, would be detrimental to their health and overall well-being.
Food insecurity refers to the "…inability to acquire or consume an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so" Radimer et al. Factors supporting high levels of food insecurity in the north include: high rates of poverty in northern communities due to high levels of unemployment and limited educational attainment; high cost of store-bought food; increased costs associated with hunting country food e.
These negatives outcomes include:. As a result of global processes, the northern environment has become more variable and less predictable than in the past. The evaluation found that environmental and climate changes have had a significant impact on traditional harvesting activities. As a result of these modifications, the existing food web is shifting; new species are migrating into traditional harvesting areas.
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These changes are linked to both negative and positive outcomes. In some instances, traditional food sources are being displaced, out-competed or preyed upon by new species moving in from the south e. In other instances, new species mean new sources of food for northern people e. Expert panel participants and key informants went on to note that exposure to new and emerging environmental contaminants is negatively impacting wildlife populations. As a result of these changes, Inuit have less confidence in traditional foods. For example, when Inuit notice animals acting oddly or when the taste and quality of the meat is different than before, they become fearful of eating it.
Climate change has led to an increase in the unpredictability of factors such as weather, ice and wildlife behaviour. This in turn, has created an atmosphere of anxiety and stress among hunters. There are an increasing number of accidents due to changes in weather patterns and ice composition changes in ice flow. Climate change is having an influence on freeze-up and break-up patterns, which is affecting the movement of animals and thus the availability and accessibility of these traditional food sources.
Increases in temperature have resulted in heat stress for northern animals and have disrupted breeding schedules, and resulted in the emergence of new wildlife diseases in the north as a consequence of disease vectors moving up from the south.
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Traditional harvesting is also on the decline due to changing attitudes regarding country food. The evaluation found evidence of a decrease in traditional food intake by the younger generation and this has led to a change in the types of harvesting activities. The way in which people eat country food is beginning to change.
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It used to be that Inuit would eat almost the entire animal but now, there is a tendency for the younger generation to eat much less i. The high cost of hunting noted above and food have acted as a deterrent to traditional harvesting among Inuit and First Nations living in the north. The primary objectives of the Food Mail Program are to address issues of northern food security and nutrition by improving access to affordable healthy food and other essential items in remote communities where costs of food would otherwise be too expensive for most residents INAC b.
It is not clear that an integrated food security policy exists, of which the FMP is presumed to be a key instrument. In fact, the June audit of the FMP noted that there are a number of policy issues related to the program, including the fact that there is no explicit policy context for the program, a lack of clarity as to whether the program is a core federal responsibility and a question about whether the program would best be delivered by the federal or provincial, territorial and regional governments INAC c. Expert panel participants noted that the lack of a comprehensive policy framework and an integrated food security policy compromises the ability of the FMP to effectively achieve its overarching program objectives and outcomes.
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The task of improving food security, nutrient intake, and the health and well being of isolated northern residents is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. There is little awareness of the program, about what foods are eligible for the program, and about the benefits associated with the subsidy.
It appears as though the onus is on individuals to find out about the program rather than INAC advertising its existence.
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There are also ineffective communications between the FMP and Aboriginal organizations at the national and regional level. This limits the ability of these organizations to help assist their respective community members. The complexities of the program add difficulty in communicating with such agencies with respect to program operational requirements and the uniqueness of the beneficiaries. For example, key informant and expert panel participants noted that many bureaucrats located in the south and southern Canadians in general have a limited understanding of the geographic limitations e.
There is also a tendency for stakeholders to be unaware of the multi-disciplinary nature of the program i. The two parties meet monthly and enjoy open lines of communication. Although INAC does not meet regularly with HC , HC provides advice on such things as the list of foods eligible for the program, input on nutrition survey work, and advice on the development of the Northern Food Basket. CPC , on the other hand, noted that the role of HC is not clear to them because they have little direct contact.
Other interview respondents stated that HC should play a greater role in the delivery and communication of the FMP. It has been suggested that HC should be more engaged and take more of a proactive role in the program. Specifically, interviewees noted that the FMP should be directly linked to all HC programs that have a nutritional component e.
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Community-base airline representatives expressed some confusion about the roles and responsibilities assigned to each of the players involved the FMP delivery chain. There is some question about who handles each leg of the delivery process and the timelines associated with those deliveries. The evaluation found evidence that the FMP is challenged by resource constraints. The FMP suffers from a lack of program capacity: few staff and a limited budget. Respondents noted that more people are needed to enhance communication, research and analysis.
Currently the program has four staff — the largest full-time complement in the program's history.