Bits and Bytes June 2014
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Early-Bird Registration opens for Food Secure Canada’s 8th Assembly!
Hundreds of food leaders from across Canada will converge in Halifax November 13-16th, 2014 for Waves of Change: Sustainable Food for All, Food Secure Canada’s 8th National Assembly.
Farmers, fishers, dietitians, policy makers, indigenous leaders, activists, entrepreneurs, community organizers, students, academics and more will create three jam-packed days of programming, networking opportunities, and learning sessions. The preliminary program of workshops has been released, more sessions and program details will become available over the summer. |
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GM Food Safety Study Reignites Call to Overhaul Canada’s Regulations June 24, 2014. Ottawa The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) is calling on Health Canada to place a moratorium on approving new genetically modified (GM) foods, to re-evaluate the safety of GM foods already on the market, and to initiate a complete overhaul of the regulatory system. The call comes in response to the republication of a long-term study of a GM corn that exposes a lack of scientific rigour in Canada’s regulatory system. |
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Everybody Eats launched by Federal NDP The New Democratic Party of Canada has just launched its own new food policy for Canada: Everybody Eats. The document, clearly intended to warm up the electorate in advance of 2015, is quite comprehensive in scope and it outlines a bold new vision for food in Canada. There are many similarities to Resetting the Table: A People’s Food Policy for Canada, showing that we have indeed had a significant policy impact -- at least on the opposition benches! Many members of Food Secure Canada participated in consultations that the NDP held during the development of its food policy. |
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Three relevant consultations The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is undertaking a suite of consultations that will impact our food systems. As the Agency tasked with safeguarding our food systems, these consultations offer Canadians an opportunity to submit our perspectives and priorities when it comes to our nourishment and the health of our communities. There are currently three consultations of relevance to the Canadian food movement.
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FSC at the annual assembly of the Canadian Association for Food Studies The Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS) held its 9th annual assembly from May 24th to 27th, the theme of which was Borders without Boundaries: Exploring Collaboration in Food Studies. Speaking at the opening plenary, FSC’s program manager Abra Brynne underscored the close ties that have united FSC and CAFS since their inception, as well as their collaborative work to date. She also highlighted how important it is to community actors to be able to rely on current, diversified and high-quality food studies research to inform their work. Read Abra’s speech. The assembly also served as an opportunity to pay tribute to Brewster and Cathleen Kneen for the personal and professional dedication they have shown throughout their careers. As founders of FSC, they passionately mobilized a growing number of organizations so that food justice and food security would take a central place on the Canadian scene.
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FSC at the People's Social Forum The Peoples’ Social Forum will take place in Ottawa from August 21st to 24th, 2014… and we’ll be there! The deadline to propose events is July 1! We’re currently seeking ideas, as well as partners to join us in representing our network and to collaborate with us in creating a workshop, presentation or panel for the event. If you are interested, please contact Amanda. Your organization can also propose to host an activity. If interested, please visit the Forum’s website.
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Find all FSC’s podcast webinars on our website Most recent videos available:
To access the entire collection of webinars, click here.
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Banking on Change fund The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a new fund to support the transformational work of food banks across Canada. Annual ReportOur Annual Report, detailing FSC’s activities for 2012-2013 is now available on our website. If you would like a printed copy, please contactAmélie. Tell us what you think!Over the past few years, more and more of you have joined the ranks of Food Secure Canada’s membership, strengthening our voice across the country. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you - your confidence in us is greatly appreciated. Listening to our members and meeting your expectations are top priorities for us, which is why we will be sending you a short questionnaire in the next few months inviting you to voice your involvement with FSC, and to give us your suggestions for how we can continue to increase our collective impact. For those of you who are not yet members, learn more about us.
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Upcoming EventsSustainable Regional Food Systems Workshop: Theory, Practice and Policy. Hosted by the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, June 26, 2014.Sign up now. The Soil that Feeds Us – Cultivating healthier food and a healthier environment on the farm. Hosted by Healthy Food Action. June 26, 2014. Sign up now. A Place for Food in Public Spaces: Wisdom from community builders. Hosted by CFCC.July 3, 2014. Sign up now. See full events calendar and post your own! JOIN FOOD SECURE CANADA We offer a sliding scale of membership depending on your organization's budget, but if you are unable to meet any of these rates, call us (514-271-7352)or send us an email. We'll be happy to discuss possibilities of other forms of collaboration. |
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