On Wednesday May 9^th, the Meal Exchange team attended a civil society meeting on economic access and the right to food with the UN Special Rapporteur (SR) on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter.

Here’s our Campus Coordinator, Praan Misir’s, recount of the event:

The UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, is currently conducting a fact-finding mission on the status of the right to food in Canada, making Canada the first developed nation to be examined in this fashion.  As part of this visit, a series of civil society meetings were held across Canada and Meal Exchange was able to attend the Toronto meeting, held at The Stop Community Food Centre on May 9^th, 2012. 

In his opening remarks, the Rapporteur spoke as to why Canada was chosen as the first developed country to be investigated, primarily because it would highlight how the issues of food insecurity and the inability to access healthy food affected individuals in a developed country.

Moreover, the Rapporteur mentioned that the strength of the Right to Food Movement in Canada was his other major reason for his fact-finding mission. He noted that the UN was no substitute for community mobilization, so the fact that the movement in Canada is so strong is something to be recognized.

The remainder of the event was divided between presentations on the linkages between hunger and other societal issues, and testimonials on the experience of living food insecure. The presentations explored the linkages between food insecurity and poverty, housing, health, and First Nation communities, and the information presented served as a stark reminder of the current flaws in the existing system.

These inequalities were made even more real by the personal testimonials of the individuals who have lived with or are currently living food insecure. Having to hear individuals deliberately choose to remain hungry, or to eat unhealthy food, so that they can afford rent, or ensure that their children are fed, truly drives home the need for change to our food system. Thus, although the event provided a detailed look at the issues faced by the food insecure, it also served as a clarion call, to ensure that community mobilization around the Right to Food continues to grow in Canada.

Click the following link for more information on the UN Right to Food Mission coming to Canada: http://foodsecurecanada.org/un-right-food-mission-coming-canada