Food serves as main course at forum
Appetizers featuring local food were not the only thing prospective voters came to digest at Monday’s citywide food policy election forum.
Candidates from all three Regina ridings were at the Core Ritchie Centre as each party presented their respective position on making improvements to accessing sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Parties were also asked if they support the Eat Think Vote campaign — a national movement spearheaded by Food Secure Canada.
Eat Think Vote’s three interlocking strategies are: Zero hunger, healthy and safe food, and sustainable food systems.
Nial Kuyek, NDP candidate in Regina-Qu-Appelle, outlined his party’s strategy to employ a comprehensive food strategy. Called Everybody Eats, the policy has three major focuses: Improving access to healthy food for all Canadians; ensuring sustainable resources for agriculture communities; and promoting Canadian food at home and abroad.
He said it starts in the heart of Canada’s breadbasket.
“We need to invest in rural communities. We need to grow farm incomes and ensure farming becomes profitable for farmers,” Kuyek said. “We need to ensure that the risks and the rewards throughout the supply chain are spread more fairly because it’s usually the producer that bears those risks.”
Improved transparency in food safety is also needed, said Kuyek.
His Green Party opponent, Greg Chatterson, agreed.
Chatterson told the crowd all food products containing genetically-engineered products must be labelled.
“No such organism should be released into the environment until it’s proven that there are no unacceptable risks,” said Chatterson.
Fellow Green Party candidate Frances Simonson (Regina-Wascana) said the need for a national food policy requires funding for farmers. This includes redirecting $100 million of federal funding provided to technology to support farmers in their transition to organic farming, including public education about organic standards.
Ralph Goodale explained that a Liberal government would push for engagement at a provincial and municipal level, including with aboriginal communities and community organizations, to “reach the goal that all Canadians have access to healthy, affordable food.”
He referenced the Conservative Party’s lack of engagement in working to promote the likes of community gardens, farmers’ markets, organic operations and school meals.
“So much of the problems over the last 10 years is that the federal government simply refused to engage,” said Goodale.
None of the Conservative candidates — Andrew Scheer (Regina-Qu’Appelle), Trent Fraser (Regina-Lewvan) and Michael Kram (Regina- Wascana) — fired back at Goodale because they were not present for the forum.
People in attendance picked up on the missing Tories.
“It’s a real shame that people go to the trouble of organizing events like this and local candidates from the governing party can’t show up,” said Andre Magman. “It shows a lack of interest, a lack of engagement and an unwillingness — frankly — to meet ordinary Canadians.”
Regina Education and Action on Child Hunger (REACH) organized the forum. REACH was also disappointed there was no Conservative representation, but spokeswoman Shanon Zachidniak said there has been a lot of energy and excitement surrounding Eat Think Vote.
“There’s been an appetite for discussion around (foodrelated) issues in Saskatchewan,” said Zachidniak.