NATIONAL FOOD STRATEGY
In his article, Time for farm groups, leaders to discuss food policies, take action on hunger, (WP Feb. 28), Barry Wilson notes there was “precious little farm sector reaction” to the recent report of Olivier De Schutter, United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food.
De Schutter found Canadian food and poverty policy seriously lacking.
Sadly, Mr. Wilson has done a tremendous disservice to the farm sector and to the entire issue of hunger in Canada by ignoring the ongoing efforts of the farm sector, as well as the agri-food sector and several key actors along the food chain.
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As he knows, over three years ago the Canadian Federation of Agriculture consulted across the farm and food sector and developed a National Food Strategy.
The NFS is a long-term vision for food, including food access for all Canadians.
Through the NFS, Canada’s farm and food sector has clearly acknowledged the problem of hunger and access to food in Canada.
If Mr. Wilson and other Canadian journalists helped inform the public of this initiative rather than misinforming, perhaps our governments would become more engaged.
The agriculture and food sector does not dispute the De Schutter report.
Neil Currie, co-chair
National Food Strategy Working Group,
Guelph, Ont.
JUST CURIOUS
We believe it is time to move forward with a clear set of objectives to address the identified problems. Let’s do this collectively and in a productive way.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau gave us the finger; can Justin (Trudeau) give us a hand? Just curious.
(Prime minister Stephen) Harper tells us he knows what’s good for us, runs roughshod over democracy, running Canada from the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office).
Who needs MPs anyway? How much are those planes or ships really going to cost?
Harper takes our support, our votes, for granted so can Justin convince us to change? Senators (Pamela) Wallin and (Mike) Duffy and others are living large, flying all over the country on our dime with no accountability.
What happened to the Triple E Senate?
So can Justin show us the way or are we just trained and engrained and we will never change? Just curious.
Terry Drul,
Oakburn, Man.
<h2>REIKI HEALING</h2>
Re: Clare Rowson’s column, Reiki said to focus on energy (WP March 7)
My roots were formed on a Sask-atchewan farm. My father gave me great gifts: horses and the wisdom to question the status quo.
I was enjoying my forestry career and equine pursuits. My body was healthy but started to give me messages.
In my 20s, my feet started to cause me pain. A doctor told me to accept that as my body aged, it would develop structural problems and that I could take pain medication. I was not impressed. I discovered alternative solutions.
Later, I was overwhelmed by a lack of energy (thyroid). I could hardly stay awake through a day of office work. A series of reflexology treatments resolved the problem.
Next, I was introduced to reiki and became a reiki master — paid for it with a horse trade. I have experienced, witnessed and heard so many stories of value to human and animal recipients since that time.
I am now a health and wellness coach specializing in chronic illness. The medical profession has its place in the healing process, but each individual must accept responsibility for his or her own course of healing.
To heal, or to prevent a decline in our health, we must strive to achieve balance. Receiving reiki treatments or attunements can be a significant step in the healing process.
More and more hospitals around the world are finding ways to offer reiki to their patients. I know a coach who suffered a life-threatening stroke: her medical prognosis was not good.
She credits reiki offered by the nurses as a part of her remarkable healing journey. She is a walking, talking coach on the go.
Wishing you well with your journey to great health — however you choose to achieve it.
Gayle Boyce,
Marwayne, Alta.
<h2>FARMERS FOR JUSTICE</2>
Where is it going to end?
Here at New Rosedale colony farms, we got penalized $7,000 for burning coal. A neighbouring colony got dinged $14,000 and one near Starbuck, Man., $38,000. It is the perfect definition of a money grab for our government.
Or is it just coincidence that this (new) coal tax falls in place shortly after Manitoba Hydro purchases a natural gas pipeline? Or a total ban coming in Manitoba on coal by next year?
Now after 15 to 20 years of hard work and investing, the local farmers and Hutterite colonies have established systems. We burn coal to save money. We have millions invested throughout Manitoba, and our government is shutting us down.
Each and every time the Manitoba agriculture industry makes headway, our own so-called government creates obstacles extremely difficult or impossible for us to succeed, first with strict manure regulations that cost us millions and foreclosed some.
Then, (they instituted) a ban of new hog barns in Manitoba, and now again, they are taking our heat source.
I attended the sixth annual Bio-mass Burning workshop in Otterburn, Man., on March 8. Approximately 150 people showed up.
The message we took home was the only alternative we have is natural gas. There is no consistent supply of anything, of that abundance.
They are calling purchasing coal from Saskatchewan as if the natural gas was coming from the local Canadian Tire.
If this new coal tax wasn’t created to form a monopoly on Manitoba’s heat source, then this letter’s in Spanish. Manitoba Hydro conveniently came up with the figure of, if we come up with $180,000, they’ll hook us up. Math done already. It’s all about money, it’s unfair and we want justice.
In Manitoba, we need a government that serves as a backbone for our agriculture industry, not a system that burns bridges as fast as we can build them.
We cannot possibly survive as farmers in this province with our government our worst enemy. We have to stand up for our rights. This has to stop.
Dale Baer,
Portage, Man.
<h2>PESTICIDE LEGALITIES</h2>
In another few weeks, many agricultural producers will be taking to the fields using toxic chemicals to grow grains for human consumption. I question the legality of this practice. Let me explain.
If your cows come onto my property or my pigs go onto your property, we have a problem.
We have to repair or put up better fences to keep damages from occurring and to keep the peace between neighbours. However, if your toxic farm chemicals drift over onto my property via air, groundwater or surface, it’s all legal and OK?
Since no agri-producer can guarantee that his or her chemicals will stay on their property, and they do not, can this practice be legal?
Does anyone have the right to expose others around them with noxious products?
When it comes to the foods produced, we can make choices to eat non-contaminated foods, but it seems that our choices don’t apply to air and water.
Farmers have been brainwashed for years by the large agricultural multinationals to produce more to feed the growing population of the world.
Well, it is not our responsibility to feed the world at our detriment. We should trade our surpluses and help in other ways. We are producing more quantity when the focus should be on nutritional quality.
A solution is to insist on third party testing of all chemicals. Secondly, we must insist on full disclosure of all ingredients of these products, never mind the need for patent infringement protection.
The consumers should have more rights than large corporations or are we not simply poisoning ourselves slowly all the way to the bank?
Paul-Emile L’Heureux,
White Fox, Sask.
