Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Canadian Citizens Aim for a National Food Policy


"Canada has never had a coordinated and explicit food policy, let alone one designed for the public good. The resulting patchwork of government policies that determine our de-facto food governance does not adequately prioritize the needs and wishes of the majority."

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Somehow, those Canucks overtop of us seem to be on average, more "aware" than we sheeple here in the U.S. The latest is that they have come out with a grassroots proposal for a national food policy.

You see, 3,500 Canadians who cared, discussed food over 250 kitchen table talks spanning a two year time period. The resulting paper, "Resetting the Table, A People's Food Policy for Canada" boils down to promoting food security in Canada while trying to make food production fair, healthy and ecological.

After concluding that Canada is currently a food insecure nation due to wrong policy, these people set out to suggest how to remedy that and gain food sovereignty. The hope is that this 32-page document will have an influence in the next political elections.

Next, are some of their proposed solutions:
  • Get more people involved in farming instead of the current less than 2%.
  • The people must have a say in how their food is produced and where it comes from.
  • Return to smaller sized farms and get away from monoculture crops.
  • Regain infrastructure required to eat local.
  • Get the consumer to support local food production.
  • Have reasonable regulations that would allow small scale processors to function.
  • Relearn how to produce food with fewer chemical inputs.
  • Promote biodiversity and sustainable farming methods.
  • Bring back healthy eating.
  • Protect farmland from urban/industrial development.
  • Restrict foreign ownership of farmland.
  • Have policy support the real farmer and citizen instead of agribusiness.

Think we could borrow that, eh?
K. McDonald

To view the document, go here.