Momentum is building from the grassroots to the UN for a healthy, ecological and fair food system!

Be a part of it!

The Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food - Oliver de Schutter - lands in Canada this coming Saturday May 5th. Olivier de Schutter and his team will be in Canada until May 16th . Plans are moving full steam ahead for a series of nine civil society meetings in four cities, as well as meetings organized by Aboriginal organizations and various levels of government. Please note that not all of these meetings are open to the public and the media.

Food Secure Canada has put together a short brief on the right to food mission, including a list of civil society meeting, available here. Please feel free to cut and paste from this brief for your own organizational purposes, including any media work you may want to do.

The Right to Food mission is an excellent opportunity to put the food movement's solutions on the public agenda. Resetting the Table: A People's Food Policy for Canada has been sent to all MPs in advance of the UN visit. Supporters of the People's Food Policy will be meeting with their MPs during the week of May 21-25th to make the link between the Right to Food mission and the need for the People's Food Policy.

How you / your organization can be a part of Building Momentum from the Grassroots to the UN:

1. Meet your MP May 21 - 25, bring people from your organization, and encourage others in your network to do the same thing.  Tell them that we need a People's Food Policy. Make your appointment now (find your MP's contact information)!
   • Join us for a teleconference training on How to Meet your MP on May 14th at 4pm. 
2. Talk to the Media- tell them about how the federal government is missing in action on addressing the right to food and about how you and your organization are working to create inovative solutions in your community.
   • Read the media coverage on the front page of our website.
3. Help Spread the Word-
   • Please forward information through your networks or include this in your newsletters.
   • Post your ideas, solutions, stories, events and more on our facebook page.
   • Follow us on twitter @FoodSecureCAN.
   • Send us stories to include in our newsletter, that will be going out regularly during the mission.
4. Bring along your provinces and municipalities - bring your community's message, the UN's recommendations, the People's Food Policy to your MPPs, MLAs and more.
5. Send the Special Rapporteur your recommendation - The Special Rapporteur welcomes written submissions from all people concerned about the right to food in Canada.  You can send your submissions, long or short, to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information click here.

Finally... funding for Food Secure Canada's role in helping to convene civil society participation in the UN Right to Food mission has largely come from membership fees. If you are not a member, please join FSC!

In solidarity,

Amanda Sheedy

Food Secure Canada - Sécurité Alimentaire Canada

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Connecting Canadian Farmers to Food Sovereignty

What IS Food Sovereignty, anyway?  What does it look like?

Why should I care about Food Sovereignty?

How can I help to shape the future of agriculture in Canada?

How do we become more food sovereign as a farm, a community, a country?

Join a facilitated workshop which will allow you to help to define what food sovereignty means to Canadian farmers.  As a group, we will discuss the various facets that influence food sovereignty, such as production, distribution, processing, culture, education and government policy.

All Are Welcome!  Space is limited so please sign up ASAP!

Please RSVP to Karen Pedersen, IPC Representative for Region 6 

(306) 398-3633 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

When:  Wednesday, March 14, 1:30 pm to Thursday, March 15, 4 pm

Where:  Shekinah Retreat Centre, Waldheim, Saskatchewan

How: Accommodation and meals provided during the workshop. (No registration fee.)

Directions  Shekinah Retreat Centre is about 50 minutes north of Saskatoon.  Drive northwest on Highway 12 turning north (right) at the Shekinah road sign approximately 6 kms past the town of Hepburn turnoff.  Follow this grid road north (turning left at the correction line and right again at the next available turn – about ¼ km) until you reach Shekinah.
 

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FSS has its own video channel! View the following films on the channel or check them out under "resources":

"Taking Back Control of Our Food"

with Wayne Roberts

"Working Toward Food Policy Change"

with Stefan Epp

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