Food Emerges As Election Issue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Federal Election Candidates to attend 40 Eat Think Vote Events Across the Country

MONTREAL - September 13th, 2015 - A coalition of farmers, food banks, health advocates and community food organizations are hosting dozens of community meals right across the country telling federal candidates that Canada needs a national food policy ensuring no Canadian goes hungry. More ‘meals with a message’ are expected to register with the Eat Think Vote campaign in the weeks leading up to Election Day.  A list of confirmed events can be viewed here.

“We are thrilled to welcome our local candidates and community members around the table for a meal to discuss why the platform of our future representatives should include a commitment to accessible, healthy and sustainable food,” says Kim Fox, coordinator of the NGD Food Depot in Montreal. NDG Food Depot will hold an Eat Think Vote community meal on Friday September 25th. Ottawa, Saskatoon, Regina, Montreal, and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia will all play host to Eat Think Vote events next week (September 14th - 20th).

The innovative campaign launched by Food Secure Canada earlier this summer focuses on four key issues: zero hunger, better support for new farmers, investing in a healthy school food program and affordable food in Canada’s North.

Food Secure Canada argues all four of these issues would be best addressed by implementing a bold new national food policy that facilitates access to healthy and sustainable food in Canada and has an online petition Canadians are invited to sign.

“We all know that the economy, health care and the environment are critical election issues, but none of them can be solved without dealing with food!  Food is one in eight jobs in Canada, bad food is intimately related to exploding healthcare costs, and food is a huge strain on the environment when not produced in a sustainable manner.  Politicians need to tackle this issue head on -- we need a policy,” says Diana Bronson, Executive Director of Food Secure Canada.

Eat Think Vote is a non-partisan campaign designed to engage federal candidates and Canadians on the far reaching benefits of Canada finally adopting a national food policy.  

Food Secure Canada is a pan-Canadian alliance of organizations and individuals working together to advance food security and food sovereignty through three inter-locking goals: zero hunger, healthy and safe food, and sustainable food systems.

For more information:

Francois Zeller: 514 271 7352; communications@foodsecurecanada.org; cell: 438-401-1733

Diana Bronson:  514 271-7352; director@foodsecurecanada.org; cell: 514 629 9236