Calling on Senators to pass Bill S-228 and Stop Marketing to Kids

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 1:49pm

Photo credit: Senat of Canada

42 national, provincial and local organisations and enterprises joined Food Secure Canada in asking the Senators to ensure that Bill S-228 is placed on the Senate’s priority list and passed before the end of the current parliamentary session.

Find the letter and signatories below


June 19, 2019

Dear Honourable Senators,

Re: Canadian food organizations call for the passing of Bill S-228

Today we ask for your support to ensure that Bill S-228 is placed on the Senate’s priority list and passed before the end of the current parliamentary session. We are individuals and organizations working to advance food security and food sovereignty in Canada. The bill is part of the future we hope to see as we build a Canada that is more healthy, ethical and sustainable.

Research shows that over 90 percent of food and beverage marketing viewed by kids online and on TV are for products high in sugar, salt and saturated fats. These highly processed foods do not represent the diverse bounty of agricultural products grown by farmers across Canada. Contrary to the misinformation provided to Senators by some food industry representatives, Bill S-228 will not hurt Canada’s farmers or food producers. Rather, it will encourage children and families to eat more fresh whole Canadian food products such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, meats, and dairy, which are also promoted by the new Canada’s Food Guide as the foundation for healthy diets.

We are aware that industry has been actively lobbying Senators to stall the passage of Bill S-228. It appears industry has relentlessly provided senators with fear-mongering rhetoric about agriculture, trade and treaties. There is no evidence that trade will be impacted by restrictions on food and beverage marketing to children. Other jurisdictions, such as Quebec, Sweden, the UK, among others, have implemented similar legislation with no known impacts on trade obligations.

Bill S-228 has been extensively studied and supported by Senators, Members of Parliament, food policy experts, health stakeholders and parents.  It would be an incredible tragedy for this bill that will do so much for our children’s health to die on the order paper. We urge the Senate of Canada to take swift action in approving and passing Bill S-228 into law without further delay.

We thank you in advance for supporting this landmark legislation. We know that each of you as individual Senators are also parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and friends of children and want the very best future for each of them.

Sincerely,

Gisèle Yasmeen

Executive Director, Food Secure Canada

&

Mira Lyonblum, National Programs Manager, Action Against Hunger Canada

Wanda Laurin, Chairperson, Alberta Food Matters

Jill Harrison, Chair, Bow Valley Food Alliance

Joannah Lawson, President of the Foundation, Brian and Joannah Lawson Family Foundation

Dr. Kim Lavoie, President, Réseau canadien pour la promotion et le changement des comportements de santé

Andrea Grantham, Executive Director, Canadian Nutrition Society

Debbie Field, Coordinator, Coalition for Healthy School Food

Corinne Voyer, Directrice, Coalition québécoise sur la problématique du poids

Nick Saul, President and CEO, Community Food Centres Canada

Tara Kainer, Member, Community Harvest Kingston

Aimee Gasparetto, Senior Food Coordinator, Policy and Network Development, Ecology Action Centre

Dianne Dowing, Council Chair, Food Policy Council for Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox-Addington

Dana Folkersen, Chair, Food Secure Saskatchewan Network

Paul M. Taylor, Executive Director, Foodshare Toronto

Christine Walker, Director of the Chef School and Industry Research, George Brown College

Erin O'Manique, Executive Director, Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard

Jennifer Babin-Fenske, Co-Chair, Greater Sudbury Food Policy Council

Jennifer Payne, Acting Chair, Headwaters Food And Farming Alliance

Manuel Arango, Director, Policy, Advocacy & Engagement, Heart & Stroke

Lois Beischer, Founder CEO, Incredible Edible Okanagan

Mara Shaw, Executive Director, Loving Spoonful

Stuart McCall, Owner / Operator, McGrows Farms and Gardens

James Haga, Executive Director, Meal Exchange

Julia Kemp, Manager, Mobile Food Market

Dr. Simon Bacon, Co-Director, Canadian Network for Health Behaviour Change and Promotion

Sandra Campbell, Director, Abundance GTA

Andrea Curtis, Writer

Katie Ward, President, National Farmers Union

Margo Riebe-Butt, Executive Director, Nourish Nova Scotia

Janine Gibson, Steering Committee Chairperson, Organic Food Council of Manitoba

Katelyn MacLean, School Food Environment Manager, Public Schools Branch, Stratford

Lulu Cohen Farnell, Founder, President, CFIO, Real Food for Real Kids

Susanne Langlois, Owner, Susanne Langlois Fine Art

Carolyn Webb, Coordinator, Edible Education Network, Sustain Ontario

Ruth Bourachot, CEO/ Founder, Tasty Nuts

Gillian Flies, Owner/Operator, The New Farm

Rachel Gray, Executive Director, The Stop Community Food Centre

Lori Stahlbrand, Health Policy Specialist, Toronto Public Health, City of Toronto, Toronto Food Policy Council

Gayle Bursey, Director, Public Health Policy, Toronto Public Health

Joan Stonehocker, Executive Director, York Region Food Network

Sara Dent, Executive Director, Young Agrarian

 

Cc

Mr. Travis Gordon, Policy Advisor to the Minister of Health

Mrs. Monique Lugli, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health

   

 

 

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