Update: Deadline has been extended to December 14, 2009.

Food policy in Canada — it’s a bit of a daunting concept.  In Canada, we are blessed to have a bountiful food supply, very low food costs, and a vast variety to choose from.  But what is our policy about food?  We’ve got regulations about food safety, agricultural policy, and so on.  These are technical interpretations of food. Perhaps more importantly, how do we view food in our daily life, in our culture, and in our social responsibility towards each other — and interpret it all through national policies and programs?  Do we have a consensus on how our food security and food sovereignty should develop in the future? A lot of questions, and a lot of answers.

Between 1977 and 1980, the People’s Food Policy Commission asked for feedback on these specific questions. A generation later, many issues remain the same: nutritional quality and obesity, the environmental impact of our agricultural systems, food security and equality.  It is almost eerie, reading the accounts of 30 years ago, and knowing many of the same problems remain unresolved.

Today, the  People’s Food Policy Project, is again seeking the opinions, the stories and views of Canadians of all walks of life. Supported by Heifer International, Inter Pares, USC Canada and Food Secure Canada, this project is currently in the consulting phase until December 14, 2009. In essence, they are asking what is important for you as a participant in our food environment.  What policies would you propose to address these issues?  Whether you are a food professional, a community advocate, a policy specialist, or just an interested consumer, the People’s Food Policy Project wants to hear from you.

If results are like the last report, no single answer or firm consensus will emerge,  but at least they’ll know a number of directions to take when moving forward.  Will a new report bring about tangible change?  Only if there is a strong participation and a upwelling of support.

If you could write a food policy for Canada, what would it look like? We’d love to hear your thoughts, but don’t forget to let the People’s Food Policy Project know your feelings, too.

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Posted by Amy Proulx.
Photo © Lucyrk in LA used under Creative Commons License