“We need them to keep putting food on our tables”: critiquing legislative discourses of food insecurity in Alberta, Canada

Food insecurity is a pressing public health issue in Canada, with Alberta exhibiting higher rates than most other provinces. Financial constraints are widely recognized as the primary driver for households. Political discourses also shape how food security is addressed within the province. Using Hansard records, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of legislative debates on food insecurity in Alberta, Canada, from 2019 to 2023. We identified four hegemonic discourses: agricultural mythmaking and settler colonial origins, economic development as a solution to food insecurity, food insecurity as an individual’s responsibility, and food banks as an acute solution to food insecurity. We also examined the policy implications of these discourses, particularly as they relate to the deserving versus undeserving poor. We conclude by discussing discourses that were absent in the records, including a recognition of food justice frameworks. Our findings highlight the limitations of Alberta’s current legislative debate and suggest the need for structural, equity-focused solutions that address the root causes of food insecurity. This paper contributes to a growing literature analyzing policy and practice related to food insecurity alleviation across Canada.