Evidence of meeting #39 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was nater.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Robert Black  Senator, Ontario, CSG

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting No. 39 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

I will start with a few reminders. Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format. The proceedings will be made available via the House of Commons website. Just so you are aware, the webcast will always show the person speaking rather than the entirety of the committee. Taking screenshots or photos of your screen is not permitted.

Colleagues, today we are studying Bill S-227. Pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, November 2, 2022, the committee is commencing the consideration of the bill, an act to establish Food Day in Canada.

I would now like to welcome our witnesses to our panel.

First of all, it's always a privilege to be able to be your chair on this committee, but it's always nice to be able to welcome my counterpart in the other place, as they say, Senator Black, who is the chair of the agriculture committee on the Senate side.

It's wonderful to have you here. Thank you for your work as a parliamentarian and thank you for your work on this bill.

We also welcome Mr. Nater, who is the sponsor of the bill here in the House of Commons, the member of Parliament for Perth—Wellington. Mr. Nater, thank you for your work in helping to sponsor this bill and for your presence here before the committee.

Colleagues, as your chair, I would hazard a guess that this is not a controversial bill. The clause-by-clause study would be quite short, because it's only one line, but I think it gives us an opportunity as a committee to ask our witnesses about the rationale of this coming forward, the ability to talk about the importance of agriculture and how we collectively share that vision.

I see John saying that there goes his question.

4:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

The way in which I'm going to handle this, colleagues, is that we will go back and forth in the traditional manner. Feel free to choose your time. We have up to two hours. It doesn't have to be two hours; it's really at the discretion of this committee.

I'm in your hands as always, and I'm going to start with opening remarks from our witnesses. I've given you seven and a half minutes, but you don't have to use all that time.

We're going to start with Senator Black. It's over to you, my friend.

4:30 p.m.

Robert Black Senator, Ontario, CSG

Good afternoon.

Thanks very much for inviting me to appear before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food today. It's my honour and pleasure.

Bill S-227 seeks to designate the Saturday before the first Monday in August as Food Day in Canada.

As we know, food is at the heart of our homes, our communities, and our economy, and I think one positive thing that has emerged from the pandemic is that many Canadians, especially those outside of rural and agricultural communities, have become more interested in learning about where and how their food is grown.

It's important for our future generations to understand that our farmers, producers, processors and agri-food retailers work hard to produce good food. Canadians young and old need to see for themselves that our agricultural communities care about the land, the commodities they grow and animals they raise.

Having a nationally recognized Food Day in Canada can help them understand that there is so much to learn about agriculture and food production in our country and will, hopefully, increase public trust in our food supply systems. As rates of food insecurity rise, not only in Canada but around the world, I believe it's paramount that we work to support our systems and trust that it can provide us with healthy, safe and affordable food.

When we talk about local food production, we are talking about people in our everyday lives. We are talking about the farmers who grow the crops we drive by as we travel Canada, about the agri-businesses that produce the food we see on the shelves, about the restauranteurs and chefs who feed us and the vintners and brewers who produce the wine, beer and spirits that we enjoy. Local food is about much more than just what we eat; it is about Canadians.

We heard about these Canadians during the many speeches in your chamber from the members for Perth—Wellington, Wellington—Halton Hills, Guelph, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford and Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou. They all presented compelling accounts of how agriculture has impacted their communities and Canada at large. I am confident that most, if not all, parliamentarians could do so. Agriculture truly touches us all.

As you know, Canada is one of the largest producers and exporters of agricultural products in the world. In 2021, the agriculture and agri-food system employed 2.1 million people, provided one in nine jobs in Canada and generated $134.9 billion, which is approximately 6.8% of Canada's gross domestic product. Passing the Food Day in Canada act is another way that we can acknowledge the important role that agriculture and local food plays in Canada.

In fact, many provinces already celebrate local food with special days throughout the year. For example, here in Ontario, the province passed legislation to proclaim Food Day Canada in Ontario in June 2021. While provincial celebrations are wonderful, I am a firm believer that there should be one day nationally when the entire country can come together in honour of this important sector. Bill S-227 would give Canadians a reason to celebrate agriculture and agri-food from coast to coast to coast together every summer.

Some of you may recall that a previous bill, Bill C-281, which was originated in your chamber by a former member of Parliament, sought to designate the Friday before Thanksgiving each year as national local food day. While the ideas may appear very similar, and I wholeheartedly support the call to celebrate agriculture any time, Bill S-227 is based on an existing celebration that began as an industry-led initiative. I believe it's important that we involve industry as much as possible in the organization of this event. It is important, and the industry agrees that the day should fall in the summer, at the height of the growing season, as opposed to the fall, when agriculture is slowing down before the start of winter.

If established, this annual celebration would not only see Canadians join together in celebration of our food from our farms to our forks and the people who make it happen but also encourage Canadians to continue learning about our agricultural and agri-food industries. It's a chance to highlight and appreciate the diverse and nutritious food products we have access to each and every day. Agriculture and agri-food are critical industries that contribute not only to the whole of our nation, but to countries around the world.

I also want at this time pay to tribute to a great advocate: Anita Stewart, the founder of Food Day Canada. As many of you will know, the first Food Day Canada was born from Anita’s concern for beef farmers during the 2003 bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis, the BSE crisis.

Anita was a trailblazer who made a tremendous impact on the health and well-being of the Canadian food system. Her spirit and passion for Canadian cuisine from coast to coast to coast and the people who grew, harvested, and cooked it were unrivalled.

She is missed by all her knew her. Her memory lives on in the legacy of her recipes, her family and of course in Food Day Canada.

Thanks very much again for inviting me to join you today. I would also like to send my thanks to many of you and to many other members of Parliament who spoke in your chamber on Bill S-227.

I look forward to answering any questions you might have, and I look forward to hearing what our second witness has to say.

Thanks in advance for your support of celebrating Canadian food regardless of the outcome of this bill.

Thank you. Merci. Meegwetch.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

Thank you very much, Senator Black. Those were strong words.

We will now go to Mr. Nater to follow up.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's great to be at the agriculture committee. It's certainly a bit of a change of scenery sitting at this end of the table, but it's great to be here and great to be an associate member of this committee. I have subbed in a few times, but I have not yet had the honour and privilege of sitting on this committee as a permanent member, despite coming from what I argue is the greatest agriculture riding in the country—

4:35 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

—with the most dairy farmers in the country, the most chicken farmers in the country, the most pork producers in the province, in the top three or four for beef producers, and some of the most fertile farmland literally anywhere in the world. It is an honour to be here.

First of all, I want to thank my dear colleague Senator Black for first introducing this bill in the other place and for his initiative and long-time advocacy of agriculture and the agri-food system.

Of course, this bill didn't initiate with either of us, really. We as politicians are pushing forward the legacy of someone else. As the Senator mentioned in his statement, Food Day Canada is the legacy of the late Anita Stewart.

Most of my words here today are not my words. They are words from the Stewart family. They are from her four sons—Jeff, Brad, Mark and Paul Stewart—who wrote to me and wanted me to express words on their behalf on the importance of Food Day Canada.

These are their words:

To us, Anita Stewart's four sons, growing up in a family surrounded by food and culture, we saw and learned many things about Canadian cuisine. We got to learn about how sharing food builds togetherness and connection. We got to see how food changes lives and creates community around a kitchen, around a table, or at a backyard barbeque. We met people who worked tirelessly to grow, harvest and produce food supporting their families and country. We got to see how food can brighten a day just by being delicious.

Mom was a central figure of our family but simultaneously also for our nation. It was Eve Johnson, a respected Canadian food journalist who said, “If there was a patron saint of Canadian cuisine, it is Anita Stewart.” According to the National Post, “Anita Stewart is the wonder woman of Canadian cuisine.” It is our dream—Mom's dream—to have at least one day nationally when it is impossible to ignore the culinary, agriculture and cultural-food contributions that sustain and enrich our lives in our bountiful north.

In Mom's own words, “By being attentive to our food sources, not only do we keep the cash flowing for our producers, but we also enable them to maintain and nurture diversity, creating a fabulous edible shopping list for us now and, even more important, for future generations. [It is] about pride and tenacity, and it is about the pure sensual pleasure of tasting the richness of Canada on every level.” That is an excerpt from Anita Stewart's Canada, HarperCollins Publishers 2014.

Food Day Canada was created as an incredible tribute to Canadian ingredients and celebration of the good people feeding our nation. In the ensuing years, Food Day Canada has evolved into a unique, award-winning, proactive, positive event in Canadian food and farming that provides an opportunity to engage Canadians in a celebration of who we are as a nation.

Since its humble start, Food Day Canada has grown exponentially and become a respected force for good in the food life of Canada. We are innovators, educators and trendsetters. Hundreds of chefs from across the nation are our advocates. We are restauranteurs who are on the vanguard of Canadian culinary excellence and represented by a group of active volunteers. As chefs, restaurants, academics, producers, events, farmers, organizations, media and enthusiastic foodies from across Canada, we care deeply about Canadian regional cuisine.

Canadian cuisine is a food of 'possibilities... It is regional and seasonal, with a dash of our multi-cultural histories thrown in for good measure to create a nation of food stories. Coast to coast to coast we have so many unique authentic culinary possibilities!

The food life of a nation expresses its collective culture as much as any newspaper or television programme or splashy new building. The privilege of being a citizen in this nation producing and harvesting some of the finest ingredients on earth goes hand in hand with the challenge and responsibility to build a dynamic, real food culture then celebrating it.

We believe in using Canadian ingredients while we celebrate and recognize those who feed and nourish our nation. Support the research and education of Canada's food, agriculture, and culture and believe in our diversity reflecting traditions, history and our evolving nature.

Canada is a diverse and geographically disparate nation from all coasts. Although we are bound by geography and community ties, we are separated by distance. Food Day Canada, through its presences both virtually and in-person brings people together to celebrate. We share messages about the importance of supporting Canadians while creating multiple local and regional celebrations.

Food Day Canada's call to action is a pledge to shop, cook and dine Canadian. Participants shop locally at restaurants, businesses, and farms, or cook at home, or cottage or campsite to build community by sharing their table, while sharing positive messages of delicious celebrations and gratitude.

Our hope is having the day nationally established may help create widespread opportunities for Canadians to learn about the agriculture and agri-food system while we deepen our conversations about food and celebrate our northern bounty while remembering what is most important to us all: family, friends, community and food!

Jeff, Brad, Mark and Paul conclude with the words of their mother: “So, join the party! Head to a market, buy local, go home, and cook with the rhythms of the seasons. Be true to your own culinary story. It's really that simple.”

I thank Jeff, Brad, Mark and Paul Stewart for allowing me to share their words in the promotion of the legacy of their late mother and the establishment of Food Day Canada.

Colleagues, I thank you for your time this morning, and I hope we can find support to move Bill S-227 forward.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

4:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

Thank you, Mr. Nater. I don't think you're going to have any issue with support with those strong words.

Thank you to the Stewart family as well.

Colleagues, we will move to questions, of course. Feel free to use as much time as you like. I'll keep an eye on the clock, but I think we'll just allow individuals who want to engage to do so, and we'll go from there.

Mr. Barlow, you're first up.

4:40 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I think this would have been very easy to support and get through here until Mr. Nater made this a competition on whose riding was more agricultural than the rest. We may have to hold him over the coals for just a little while.

Senator Black, you can go.

No, it is good to hear that everyone around this table and within the House of Commons is very proud of our farmers, ranchers and producers and the critical role that they play. I am glad that this came back.

Senator Black, you talked about the legacy of Anita Stewart and how important it was when BSE was around. The fact that you can say bovine spongiform encephalopathy is fantastic, because it is important that we remember what brought this on initially, which was a catastrophic disease within the cattle industry.

I will put on the record now that I'm hopeful that we do not go through that again and how important it is now that the United States is no longer going to let us share access to their vaccine bank. It is imperative for Canada to develop its own vaccine bank, especially with foot and mouth disease, which is a very real threat to Canadian agriculture. I'm hopeful that it is something that the government is looking very seriously to do.

I have two questions for you. The previous PMB that Mr. Stetski from B.C. brought forward several years ago had a set date in August, and this is kind of a floating date that will be between July and August. I think the impetus of this bill is very important when we share information and maybe educate Canadians about the importance of agriculture and the modern Canadian agriculture that we do. Why was that decision made to have that floating day?

Second, and either one of you can answer, what do you envision Canada Food Day to be? When I say that, I say that I think this is an opportunity for us again to educate Canadians about what farmers are doing, how they do it, why we do it and the fact that we do it better than anyone in the world.

As producers, the biggest challenge we face is the misconception about what agriculture really does. We are not “Old MacDonald's” farm any longer; we are modern and we are innovative, and we are environmentally sustainable, but we must also be economically sustainable.

I know there are two questions, but please explain the date and what you envision the education portion of Food Day to be.

4:45 p.m.

Senator, Ontario, CSG

Robert Black

Thanks very much, Mr. Barlow, for your question.

With respect to the date, Food Day in Canada that Anita Stewart started was, in Ontario, the August long weekend, and that has, to this date 19 years later, always been the August long weekend in Ontario, but we know that the August long weekend isn't a long weekend across Canada in some other provinces.

When we went to the legal team and the clerks on our end, we had to make it so that it's the last Saturday before the first Monday in August so that it is always that weekend of the long weekend. That is the one and only reason.

The previous bill, as you referred to, was the Friday before the Thanksgiving weekend. When it came to the Senate chamber, we did make an amendment that would bring it to, we said, the August long weekend date. That was an error on our drafting team's part at that time, but it died in the Senate chamber anyway. It is, in fact, on the August long weekend that Anita always had it in the past. I might point out that 2023 is the 20th anniversary of that very first world's largest barbecue in Elora, which she started, and which was a precursor to Food Day Canada.

4:45 p.m.

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Maybe I can address the second part of the question.

What do we want to see from it? I think there are a lot of things that we can see from it. One of the biggest is food literacy, so that Canadians know where Canadian food comes from. It doesn't come from a grocery store shelf. It comes from hard-working farmers and farm families and processors across the country who do this work.

We've seen with Food Day Canada in the last few years a lot of visual representations. The CN Tower was lit in red and white, Niagara Falls was lit in red and white and the Calgary Tower was lit in red and white to promote Canadian food on Food Day Canada. The visual representations forced Canadians to see it and then ask the questions about where things went with it.

I want to highlight as well the BSE crisis. That's something that was exceptionally negative and challenging. Frankly, it's still being felt nearly 20 years later by beef farmers across Canada. They're still feeling the effects of it all these years later, but something positive came, and that was the promotion of Canadian food. If we can build on that legacy that came out of the dark days of 2003, and now, nearly 20 years later, be able to promote the food that sustains our country and the world, I think it will be a great and lasting legacy out of a dark day.

4:50 p.m.

Senator, Ontario, CSG

Robert Black

Perhaps I could add to that a little bit.

In terms of the group that oversees Food Day Canada, there's a small group of Anita's friends seized with—

4:50 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

Mr. Chair, I'm sorry to interrupt the senator, but we can no longer hear the interpretation.

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

Mr. Black, we might have an issue with interpretation.

Monsieur Perron, I will keep speaking in English until you're able to hear me in French....

Are we good? Okay.

I had stopped the clock, Mr. Black. If you want to finish that, we'll go from there.

4:50 p.m.

Senator, Ontario, CSG

Robert Black

I will just say that the small group of Anita's friends involved in Food Day Canada are seized with this education piece going forward.

Thanks.

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

That's wonderful.

Thank you, Mr. Black, Mr. Nater and Mr. Barlow.

Now we have Mr. Drouin for up to six minutes.

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I do want to thank Senator Black for introducing the bill in the Senate, and obviously thank Mr. Nater for sponsoring that bill.

I do have to congratulate both of you. You are probably the only senator and MP to reunite Mr. Turnbull and Mr. Barlow at the same table in agreeing on one bill, so congratulations.

This question is for both of you. You've talked about the legacy of Anita Stewart. What's one thing you would like to see happening across Canada every Saturday of the long weekend when we do celebrate Food Day in Canada?

November 23rd, 2022 / 4:50 p.m.

Senator, Ontario, CSG

Robert Black

From my perspective, I'd like to see us acknowledge and recognize the continuum from farmer to plate. Whether it's your plate and what you've cooked on a barbeque or whether it's us enjoying something at a restaurant, the legacy of food and cuisine in Canada would be my desire.

I remember having a discussion with Anita on her back deck not long before she passed. Her desire was to see a food day in Canada nationally. Those were almost her words, so I would just echo that.

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

To build on what Senator Black said, I think it's the sheer ability to share a meal and break bread with those around you. Whether it's with a family member, whether it's with a neighbour, whether it's at a community gathering or whether it's with a complete stranger, I think that ability to share a meal together and bond over that shared experience is so important.

One of the events I like to attend every year in my riding is a meal called “To Stratford With Love”. Every year, just before Christmas, 1,800 people come together and share a meal. It's like a large family dinner. You come together and share a meal together. You get to know people you frankly have never met before. To everyone in that room, you're all neighbours. You're all family. You're all coming together.

I think the ability to share that bond over a meal is so important. Frankly, sometimes we've lost that in recent times, especially with the challenges from the pandemic over the last two years. The ability to come and share a meal together is so important.

Thank you for that question, Mr. Drouin.

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Great. Thank you.

Again, Mr. Barlow and I may want to put a friendly amendment in that bill just to ensure that Foothills and Glengarry—Prescott—Russell are the best ridings for agriculture. I'm just kidding; we know that the process would have to go back to the Senate, and we definitely do not want to do that.

I'm hearing from you that it doesn't matter how we would celebrate Food Day in Canada. It's just a matter of people telling the story of food across Canada, whether it's a farmer demonstrating what they're doing on their farm or a chef demonstrating how they're cooking food or whatnot.

I want to salute your efforts. As I think the chair has already acknowledged, it's a one-liner bill. It's simple. I'm not going to ask any more questions. I think both of you have done an amazing job of telling us about the story and legacy of Anita Stewart.

I want to thank you. As I've announced before, I will definitely be supporting this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's back to you.

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Kody Blois

There's still a little bit of time.

Ms. Taylor Roy, you wanted to have an intervention. Perhaps I would invite you to make a few comments now.

4:55 p.m.

Liberal

Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON

I was going to ask a question very much along the lines of my colleagues.

Sharing a meal with people is something we do often, although you're right that it's maybe not so much since the pandemic.

When I read about Anita Stewart and what her mission was and when I was listening to you read the letter from her sons, it seemed like a lot of the emphasis was on local Canadian food. She was also focused on healthy food, environmental sustainability, diversity and labour conditions.

I'm wondering if there is any angle that focuses more on the local or the environmental part, because that seems to be her legacy. You also mentioned the small group of friends. Is there anything on that side that we'll be celebrating as well?

Thank you.

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

I'll start, and I'm sure Senator Black would like to chime in as well.

Just two seconds ago we talked about.... She was the University of Guelph's first food laureate. The food lab at the University of Guelph is now named in her honour, which I think is simply exceptional.

The focus on Canadian food and local food is absolutely essential and a core of what Food Day in Canada would be, building on the legacy of Anita Stewart.

If you read some of the stories about Anita, you'll see she took great joy in travelling the country and experiencing unique, culturally appropriate, different regional food sources first-hand. I think that's one of the exciting celebrations of this. Local food is different for people in different regions and in different cultures. Experiencing that angle is just so important.

Second, on the local and environmental side of things, especially coming from rural ridings and rural communities like ours, it's just so important that we see that in our own backyard.

Organizations like Food Centres Canada and The Local Community Food Centre in Stratford provide that local dynamic. They provide the ability to learn how to use local ingredients to go beyond simply providing a meal to actually knowing what goes into that meal, how it's prepared and where that food comes from.

I'll turn it over to the senator.

4:55 p.m.

Senator, Ontario, CSG

Robert Black

Sure.

Very quickly, she was a food laureate at the University of Guelph, and they have not filled that position yet because it takes a special person to do that. She put her heart and soul into that role of food laureate. Her cookbooks are all Canadian, and each of them tells a story.

I remember reading and hearing her talk about travelling the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, catching fish and then cooking them locally. She always ate local. Her idea was that Canadian cuisine has a story to tell. That's what she wanted to see done.