Minister MacAulay wraps up A Food Policy for Canada regional sessions in Winnipeg, Manitoba Français
WINNIPEG, Sept. 29, 2017 /CNW/ - A Food Policy for Canada will set a long-term vision for the country's health, environment, social, and economic goals related to food; while also identifying actions that can be taken in the short-term to improve Canada's food system.
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay, along with Manitoba's Minister of Agriculture Ralph Eichler, and Member of Parliament for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley Doug Eyolfson, participated in the final regional engagement session today in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the public consultations for the development of A Food Policy for Canada come to a close.
Stakeholders, Indigenous representatives, experts, and key policy makers were invited to join the session, the last in a series held across the country. The sessions began in August in Charlottetown and Saint-Hyacinthe, and continued into September in Vancouver, Yellowknife, and Guelph.
Public consultations on A Food Policy for Canada were launched on May 29, 2017, with an online survey that asked Canadians for their input on food issues related to:
- increasing access to affordable food;
- improving health and food safety;
- conserving our soil, water, and air; and
- growing more high-quality food.
Response to the survey from across the country was strong, with more than 40,000 responses received before it closed on August 31, 2017.
With broader consultations now coming to a close, the Government of Canada will work to synthesize the information received from across the country as it works to develop A Food Policy for Canada, to be released in 2018.
Quotes
"As we close our consultations on A Food Policy for Canada, I am pleased with the level of engagement and extensive feedback we have received from Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The diverse viewpoints we have heard will help us move forward in developing a food policy that reflects the priorities of Canadians."
- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Quick Facts
- The Government of Canada heard from more than 40,000 Canadians through the online survey for A Food Policy for Canada, which closed on August 31, 2017.
- A food policy is a way to address issues related to the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food. A Food Policy for Canada will cover all food sources, including primary agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and processing.
- A Food Policy Summit took place on June 22-23, 2017, that brought together over 250 participants with diverse expertise and experience to discuss a broad range of food-related issues.
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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Guy Gallant, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, 613-773-1059; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972
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