National food policy good for all, Manitobans told

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This article was published 29/09/2017 (2941 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Whether you’re poor, Indigenous, live up north or simply need to lose a few pounds, the federal government believes a national food policy will help you.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay says a national food policy — the first one in the country’s history — will help not only them, but all Canadians.

“The problem is right across the country,” MacAulay said on Friday at the final regional engagement session for the development of “A Food Policy for Canada.”

“There’s problems in the inner cities, there’s problems in the north, and that’s what we have to address,” he said.

“Too many Canadians are struggling to put nutritious food on the table.

“More needs to be done to address this problem, which is particularly acute to Canadians living in poverty, in the north and in Indigenous communities.”

MacAulay said a national food policy is needed because “food is at the heart of all communities.”

“A food policy for Canada is the first of its kind for our nation and it must include the voices and ideas of everyone from coast to coast to coast.

“This includes farmers, hunters, fishers, processors who provide the food and those who distribute the food. And those who work to ensure better access to food for all Canadians,” MacAulay continued.

“We are truly building a policy together.”

The Liberals promised during the 2015 federal election to introduce the country’s first national food policy.

Almost two years later, the government kicked off the online consultation stage in May.

Since then, there have been more than 45,000 submissions, with over 13,000 coming from people living on the Prairies.

The government says there will be four pillars to the policy:

• increasing access to affordable food;

• improving health and food safety;

• conserving soil, water and air, and

• growing more high-quality food.

But MacAulay — who was joined by Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler and local Liberal MP Doug Eyolfson — told the people participating at the session that, even when the national policy is in place, much remains to be done.

“It is only the start,” he said.

“This is an ongoing process and we all have to understand this is an ongoing process.

“What I want from you is help to put this food policy for Canada together… we’ll never solve all of the problems — but if we take the right steps in the right direction we will have done something.”

Government officials hope the food policy will be in place by the first part of next year.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca