Shirley Thompson

Dr. Shirley Thompson is an assistant professor for the Natural Resources Institute at the University
of Manitoba. She was a co-investigator into the original MAFRA proposal and her research is
focused on northern Manitoba food sovereignty. She has also produced and directed the videos
Harvesting Hope in Northern Manitoba (2011) and Growing Hope in Northern Manitoba (2010) with
Vanessa Lozeznik and Ryan Klatt. See http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~thompso4/ to view research
findings, videos and trailers.
Her research addresses the large food insecurity rates in northern Manitoba which are
eight times the rate across Canada with even higher rates in fly-in communities. In the north, food
is twice the price but half the quality than in the south. In communities without stores trips to the
grocery store can take several days at significant expenses.