http://foodsecurecanada.org/assembly-outline

Friday, November 26: Pre-Conference Events and opening keynotepanel:

Tours: There will be several different tours of Montreal food culture and action. Tours will take run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Coalition for Food Sovereignty will hold a seminar during the day on Friday at the University of Montreal.

 Working Provincially?  Special working session Fri. Nov.26 from 3:30-5:30 pm of food groups working at provincial or regional levels to share successes, challenges and collaborations. Follow-up lunch on Sat. from 12:30-1:30. 

A vegetarian supper will be served at the University of Montreal at 5:30 p.m. before the opening panel. (This is included in the conference fee.)

Keynote Panel: The Assembly will begin with a keynote panel at 7:00 p.m. in the Jean Lesage Auditorium, room B2285. This is a free public event.

EARTH GRAB: The rush to grow ‘biomass’ for fuels and industry will be worth $1/2 trillion – but won’t feed people, or stop climate change. Farm leaders from the Global South describe the reality and propose alternatives.

Saturday, November 27th:

Breakfast buffet will open at 7:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria.

8:30 a.m. Official opening ceremonies

9:00 a.m. Panel: Weaving An Agenda: Food Sovereignty policy for Canada

Speakers:

Lise Bertrand, Montreal Public Health
Priscilla Settee, Professor of Native Studies, University of Saskatchewan and Board member, CCPA
Wayne Roberts, former Manager, Toronto Food Policy Council
Benoit Girouard, Union Paysanne, on the Pronovost Commission into the Future of Agriculture in Quebec
moderated by Amanda Sheedy, Coordinator, People’s Food Policy Project.

The day’s program includes three workshop sessions,a catered lunch and nutrition/networking breaks, and a Food Sovereignty Trade Fair. Sessions end at 5 p.m., followed by networking /cash bar.

The Feast of Local Flavours will be presented by local chefs starting at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 28th

Breakfast buffet will open at 7:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria.

8:30 a.m. Official opening ceremonies

9:00 a.m. Panel: Nourishing our Actions: Weaving Social Movements

Speakers

Ellen Gabriel, Kanehsatà:ke (Mohawk), Quebec Native Women’s Association
Elsa Beaulieu, World March of Women
Colleen Ross, National Farmers Union
François Saillant, FRAPRU, Quebec advocacy for housing
moderated by Andrea Peart, FSC Steering Committee, Health & Environment, Canadian Labour Congress

The Food Sovereignty Trade Fair continues throughout the day. The day’s program includes two workshop sessions, a catered lunch and nutrition/networking breaks, and the Food Secure Canada Annual General Meeting.

Final plenary: Reflections and action plans

The conference will end by 5:30 p.m.

Vision

Food Secure Canada is based in three interlocking commitments:

Zero Hunger: All people at all times must be able to acquire, in a dignified manner, adequate quantity and quality of culturally and personally acceptable food. This is essential to the health of our population, and requires cooperation among many different sectors, including housing, social policy, transportation, agriculture, education, and community, cultural, voluntary and charitable groups, and businesses.

A Sustainable Food System: Food in Canada must be produced, harvested (including fishing and other wild food harvest), processed, distributed and consumed in a manner which maintains and enhances the quality of land, air and water for future generations,  and in which people are able to earn a living wage in a safe and healthy working environment by harvesting, growing, producing, processing, handling, retailing and serving food.

Healthy and Safe Food: Safe and nourishing foods must be readily at hand (and less nourishing ones restricted); food (including wild foods) must not be contaminated with pathogens or industrial chemicals; and no novel food can be allowed to enter the environment or food chain without rigorous independent testing and the existence of an on-going tracking and surveillance system, to ensure its safety for human consumption.

Mission

Food Secure Canada is a Canada-wide alliance of civil society organizations and individuals collaborating to advance dialogue and cooperation for policies and programs that improve food security in Canada and globally. 

FSC aims to unite people and organizations working for food security nationally and globally. FSC is a registered non-profit society with a wide membership which includes local and national organizations and unaffiliated individuals. It works for its members, facilitating collaborative activities by members to advance food security. FSC only has a distinct voice when its members so decide through formal approval mechanisms. Projects emerge from the members and, once agreement in principle has been reached, are advanced by FSC with the involvement of those members participating in the initiative.

Organizational Objectives

1. To identify at the biennial conference of FSC a set of projects of national importance (involving research and data collection, campaigns, education, programming and policy making) that FSC helps members carry out
2. To provide support to members (strategic planning, training, tools, programme design advice, services, information, fundraising support) that increases the capacity of civil society to be a strong and coherent voice for food security in Canada
3. To create a space for debate, exchange, help, coordination of efforts, and pooling of resources.