Cuisine Canada Scene

It seems the local food movement is getting more political.  Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals have developed a platform for a Canadian food policy, and with their announcement Monday, the food community is aflutter with comments focusing on what positive changes this might bring, or whether it is just more political grandstanding.

Even with the fanfare, the Liberal party is not entering into a massive food policy void.  Canada has a food policy.  For better or worse, Canada has a whole pile of government food policies, regulatory agencies, and organizational tiers.  Months ago, a similar conversation process took place about a national food policy, and continues to draw conclusions and influence program management in the public health sector.

The new Liberal policy delicately dances around the current structures, not focusing on heavy restructuring, rather looking at increasing efficiency within the current system.  That said, there already is a strong level of restructuring and evaluation.  Just consider the Auditor General’s report last week, evaluating the efficacy of the Research Branch at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, or the discussion paper from a month ago on Sustainable Development.  Some of the evaluation and reevaluation proposed sounds repetitive.

Within this document, there is very little to cause protest.  After all, it’s supposed to draw support to the party.  The highlights read like grand generalizations about change, and in my opinion there is not a lot of substance to evaluate.  Personally, I am delighted that a party is looking to prioritize the food issue.  But will it change my political views?  I won’t pass judgment until I see the full platform with action plans, not just generalizations.

It’s misleading to assume that the platform will narrow the “rural-urban divide”.  And it’s ironic to assume that food issues are solely a rural issue.   Agriculture and fisheries are still predominantly rural, but the continuum from farm or sea to fork is a more complex path.  The rural environment has been neglected, but beyond that, there has not been a comprehensive approach to full food sector development beyond agriculture, as evidenced in last year’s budget.  Most secondary processing and distribution is an urban issue, while nutrition issues, inspection and food packaging laws will impact us all, whether we are in the 20% rural minority, or not.

Lastly, there is no mention of the cultural importance of a strong food sector.  Economics is vital, and public health care, like it or not, is really an economic issue.  How can political policies reenforce our culinary cultural identity?  Developing a stronger cultural and societal value for food will reinforce public support for best economic policies for the food sector.

Have you read the new food policy platform?  Are you going to join the debates?  What do you like, and what is missing?

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Posted by Amy Proulx

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