Bites and Bytes November 2014
| WAVES OF CHANGE: SUSTAINABLE FOOD FOR ALL AN APPETITE FOR POLICY CHANGE Food Secure Canada’s eighth national assembly held November 13-16th in Halifax was not only the biggest ever, but according to many participants our best. The number of people and organizations, the quality of the discussion, and the excitement that accompanied the sharing of ideas across regions, sectors, cultures, experiences and worldviews was evident throughout. For Nova Scotia, it was by far the biggest food event to have ever taken place and provided a unique opportunity to showcase the innovative work going on throughout the province – in health, in agriculture, in research, and in dynamic civil society organizations. |
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10 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FSC'S 8TH ASSEMBLY |
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1. WITHIN REACH OF A NATIONAL SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAMWhen a meeting started on November 12 before our assembly to lay out a strategy towards a universal school food program in Canada, none of us could have imagined how much progress was in store for us in the coming days. Not only did the Liberals and the NDP both commit to supporting a national universal school food program but we have a newly formed Coalition for Healthy School Food that is ready to hold them to task on that promise. The future is looking bright for those who understand that a universal Healthy School Food Program is central to supporting our children’s health and wellbeing, and our local food economies. |
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2. Toward an Indigenous Food SummitThe Indigenous Circle of Food Secure Canada met throughout the assembly to set directions for the year ahead and provide input to FSC’s actions in support of Indigenous food sovereignty. Over the course of the 4 day gathering, the Circle discussed the urgency of the food system crisis that exists in Indigenous communities across the country. While this crisis is expressed in different ways between nations and communities, rebuilding food sovereignty at the ground level is widely accepted as the most effective change mechanism. Over the next couple of years, the Circle is seeking partnership with FSC to host an Indigenous Food Summit as well as continued advocacy to remove barriers to community-based expressions of Indigenous food sovereignty. |
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3. YOUTH PARTICIPATIONThe Food Secure Canada Youth Caucus Gathering brought together 75 young activists, students, farmers, fishers, and food policy wonks, demonstrating the diversity and engagement of the future of the food movement. The event resulted in some of the most engaging and provocative conversations of the Assembly’s sessions: youth leaders led breakout groups that drew in passionate young people to connect and discuss these issues and identify next steps for action.This was followed by a panel of food mentors, who spoke about how they became involved in food work. A common theme for each of these mentors was that food acted as a source of inspiration and personal transformation, drawing them into this work. Out of these courageous and intimate presentations came a discussion about the healing character of food and the role of settlers in indigenous food sovereignty and food justice movements. The intergenerational setting allowed for both fresh perspectives and wisdom around difficult questions. |
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4. AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (accessible on our website)Even though the Conservative government did not send a representative, Mark Eyking (Liberal MP, Sydney – Victoria) and Megan Leslie (NDP MP, Halifax) participated in the FSC Assembly’s Plenary Question Period : A dialogue with Members of Parliament. The four panelists : Alex Chisholm Fletcher (National Farmers Union) ; Norma Kassi (Arctic Institute for Community Based Research) ; Debbie Field (FoodShare Toronto) ; and Valerie Tarasuk (PROOF Research Project) posed questions around four major themes :
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5. FISH IS FOODThis first FSC Assembly held in Atlantic Canada featured a special focus on fisheries and how the food movement can help rebuild a sustainable fishing industry that produces healthy food while supporting coastal economies. Our opening plenary featured two fisheries experts from Atlantic Canada - Kerry Prosper from Paq'tnkek Mi'kmaw Nation and Susanna Fuller from the Ecology Action Centre - and fisheries issues were integrated into the workshops, presentations and discussions held over the weekend. |
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6. FOOD JUSTICE ON THE TABLEParticipants heard firsthand accounts of Indigenous People and People of Colour from across the country doing innovative work to answer the needs of their communities who are disproportionately affected by food insecurity and systemic injustices. They shed light on the layers of exclusion and oppression present within our food system and challenged us to interrogate our food movement as well, existing in a Canadian context still tainted by pervasive colonial power dynamics. At the strategizing session, participants discussed ways to ensure that this very important conversation didn't end there and that new voices be added to it. |
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7. New Farmers roundtable70 people converged in a hotel room at the FSC Assembly to identify some concrete strategies that will reduce barriers for new entrants into farming and address our looming farmer succession crisis. The day started off with interesting and detailed accounts of their respective programs from an impressive cohort of actors: Anne Marie Royal of Terre de Liens in France, Paul Lecomte of Quebec’s FIRA, Christie Young of FarmStart in Canada, and Sophie Ackoff with the National Young Farmers Coalition in the USA. Participants then received updates from six Regional Leads across Canada, who reported on the results of research in their respective regions to identify the key barriers, needs and what is working for new farmers. Break out groups then formed around key areas to brainstorm opportunities, steps and allies to advance the work of developing programs and policy that will help to ensure that Canada’s farming population expands and is rejuvenated. Watch this emerging Network as it rolls out initiatives and resources over the coming year. |
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8. EVALUATION: WHAT DID PARTICIPANTS THINK?To stay in tune with our members and partners, we engaged in a multi-faceted evaluation process for the Assembly. Participants were asked to complete an evaluation of their impressions and the quality of each session. The complete results will be available in our next newsletter, but you can already see the results from the concurrent sessions. Available here |
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9. LOCAL FOOD SOURCING IN ACTIONScaling-up distribution and improving market access for local, sustainable food systems was a thread woven through the Assembly with several key sessions on food hubs and institutional procurement. Also, thanks to the hard work by our local organizing partners ACORN, the Ecology Action Centre and FoodARC, the food served throughout the Assembly featured local, sustainable ingredients and showcased the delicious results of local food sourcing in action! Since these products are not available through their existing supply chains, the Harbourfront Marriott was open to our team of foragers to source directly from farmers, fishers and producers. Combined with the many generous food donations we received from the list of preferred suppliers below, this allowed us to keep the Assembly costs down as much as possible. Thanks again to our numerous good food suppliers! |
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10. OUR NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS & LINDA GEGGIE WINS AWARDWe are pleased to welcome three new members to the Board of Directors of Food Secure Canada. Please find the full list of the Board here. As well, we want to congratulate Linda Geggie, winner of the Cathleen Kneen Award. We invite you to learn more about her work on our website. |
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THANK YOU! The Assembly was incredibly rich, passionated and energizing..... Thank you to all the participants who brought innovative ideas and stories around the table! A very special thank you to our local organizing team: FoodARC, the Nova Scotia Food Security Network, Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network, and the Ecology Action Centre and to our many generous sponsors without whom the event would not have been possible. |
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