Parliamentary Secretary Rudd and Member of Parliament Longfield continue A Food Policy for Canada regional sessions in Guelph, Ontario Français
GUELPH, ON, Sept. 12, 2017 /CNW/ - A Food Policy for Canada will set a long-term vision for the country's health, environmental, 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.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, Kim Rudd, along with the Member of Parliament for Guelph, Lloyd Longfield, participated in a regional engagement session today in Guelph, Ontario, as part of the ongoing consultations regarding the development of A Food Policy for Canada.
Stakeholders, Indigenous representatives, experts, and key policy makers were invited to join this session, part of a series being held across the country. The sessions began in August in Charlottetown and Saint-Hyacinthe, continuing in September in Vancouver, Yellowknife, and today's session in Guelph, and will conclude at the end of the month in Winnipeg.
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.
Quotes
"As Canadians, we know that having a reliable supply of affordable, nutritious, and safe food also depends on maintaining our country's natural resources. As a government, we must support growth and access while conserving the land. That is why I am so pleased to participate in today's A Food Policy for Canada engagement session – taking part in conversations like the one we are having today ensures that we build a Food Policy that reflects what is most important to Canadians when it comes to our food."
- Kim Rudd, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources
"Our Government is committed to finding new solutions to an issue that impacts our daily lives and our communities – that is, access to healthy, affordable food, grown sustainably. But we know that we are stronger and more successful when we work together, and that is why we are consulting with Canadians as we work to build A Food Policy for Canada."
- Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph
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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