At the end of this month, two elections will be taking place: the federal election, happening on September 20th, and then municipal elections across the province will be taking place on September 28th.
As we’ve been saying for many months, the pandemic shed light on some very important systemic issues that directly relate to food insecurity. In the coming weeks, we’ll be on the lookout for food related issues and campaign priorities from federal and municipal candidates alike.
In the meantime, we’ve developed and gathered some resources to help voters consider food issues when heading to the polls.
Federal Election
When it comes to the federal election, we’ll be following the lead of our friends at Food Secure Canada and their Eat, Think, Vote campaign.
Eat, Think, Vote outlines five big ideas: addressing the root cause of food insecurity; building resilient local food systems; supporting Indigenous food sovereignty; decent work for food workers in all parts of the food system; and advancing a school food program for Canada.
Eat, Think, Vote has developed backgrounders on these issues and possible policy recommendations, and we’ve compiled a list of resources to add to that learning for voters in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Addressing the Root Cause of Food Insecurity
We know that insufficient income is the root cause of food insecurity. With this in mind, here are some places to learn more about income interventions and how they contribute to a just and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic:
Basic Income NL - basicincomenl.ca
Coalition for a Just Recovery - justrecoverynl.ca
Atlantic Canada Food Systems Recovery Vision - atlanticfoodvision.ca
Building Resilient Local Food Systems
Building resilient local food systems means learning about the food system in our province and communities and prioritizing local food.
Western NL Food Hub - nlfoodhub.ca
St. John’s Food Assessment - foodstjohns.ca
Our Food NL project - foodfirstnl.ca/our-food-nl-landing-page
Institutional Food Work - foodfirstnl.ca/institutional-food
NL Young Farmers Forum - nlyoungfarmers.ca
Indigenous Food Sovereignty
When we support Indigenous Food Sovereignty and invest in reconciliation, we create a more equitable society for all.
Coalition for a Just Recovery - justrecoverynl.ca
Atlantic Canada Food Systems Recovery Vision - atlanticfoodvision.ca
Decent Work for Food Workers
Having fair work for workers in every part of the food system is crucial for a sustainable food system.
15 and Fairness - wearenl.ca/minimum-wage
Migrant Rights Network - migrantrights.ca
Advancing a School Food Program for Canada
A school food program is a good idea for many reasons, including student health, destigmatizing food options at school, and making nutritious food accessible to all.
Coalition for Healthy School Food - healthyschoolfood.ca
Nutrition Connections - nutritionconnections.ca
Municipal Elections
While most food policy changes take place at the federal and provincial levels of government, municipal governments also play a role in impacting our food systems.
Below, find a list of questions to ask your municipal candidates.
