Five of six members of Nutrition North advisory board are Conservative donors

OTTAWA — Public records show the board that advises the federal cabinet minister in charge of the Nutrition North food subsidy program is almost entirely made up of Conservative donors.

Five of the six people appointed to the program’s advisory board have donated money to the Conservatives.

One of those five Conservative donors also gave money to the Liberals, while a sixth member of the board has not made a political contribution to any party.

And at least three board members appear to be involved with organizations or businesses that have received federal government funding, either directly or indirectly.

The presence of so many Conservative donors on the board will likely elicit even more scrutiny of Nutrition North, recently the subject of a scathing assessment by auditor general Michael Ferguson.

Ferguson revealed that the program’s overseers are largely in the dark about whether the $60-million annual federal food subsidy is doing anything for the people who need it the most.