Media Release for August 20, 2008

NDP welcomed Guest Speaker, Alex Atamanenko, MP, (BC Southern Interior), NDP Critic for Agriculture & Agri-Food, Rural Affairs

Renfrew, ON - On June 18, the Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke federal NDP held its annual general meeting at the Royal Canadian Legion. Guest speaker Alex Atamanenko, NDP Member of Parliament, whose rural B.C. riding encompasses great distances much like ours, spoke to a receptive audience on the need for a national food policy in Canada. He was introduced by Sue McSheffrey, president of the federal Riding Association.

Renfrew was his first stop on the NDP national “Food For Thought” tour which was recently launched in Ottawa by party Leader, Jack Layton. Atamanenko will be meeting with local communities across the country at the grassroots level to invite views, comments and suggestions for a Canadian food policy. The result will be a report with recommendations that will be submitted to the federal government to help guide them in developing and implementing a Canadian National Food Policy.

According to the NDP Agriculture Critic, Atamanenko, the issue of food security is very complex and should be a non-partisan issue. It involves many considerations such as trade agreements, climate change, transportation and energy issues, all of which have ramifications, both nationally and internationally. “We as Canadians want a safe, secure, affordable food supply that also allows our farmers to make a decent living”, stated Atamanenko. This sentiment was echoed by the audience and a lively discussion took place following the MP’s remarks. Audience members included NDP party members as well as farmers concerned about their future. The need for food sovereignty i.e. food grown in Canada for Canadian consumption, was the overwhelming response from those attending.

For those who are interested in voicing their opinions but were not able to attend the meeting, a short questionnaire is available from Sue McSheffrey and can be mailed back to Atamanenko’s office free of charge. Please e-mail Sue at skmcsh@sympatico.ca or phone her at 613-432-7208.

For more information about M. Atamanenko, see the meeting notice.

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