Read on Twitter
Since my phonebanking equipment isn’t working, we’ll be livetweeting this in right now minutes!
Or at least once my pauper’s laptop starts working. https://twitter.com/dimitrilascaris/status/1308389649107357697
Or at least once my pauper’s laptop starts working. https://twitter.com/dimitrilascaris/status/1308389649107357697
Apologies in advance if I miss chunks of this debate—my internet connection stumbles around a lot.
please be nice to it, it’s doing its best
please be nice to it, it’s doing its best
Q1: Introduce yourself, and tell us: what’s your favourite garden food?
@dimitrilascaris goes first. Starts with a land acknowledgement, introduction, and finally his answer:
Tomatoes. Southern Greek tomatoes to be specific.
@dimitrilascaris goes first. Starts with a land acknowledgement, introduction, and finally his answer:
Tomatoes. Southern Greek tomatoes to be specific.
@courtghoward :
Land acknowledgement, introduction, and then the crucial part:
Tomatoes. Okanagon tomatoes, this time.
Land acknowledgement, introduction, and then the crucial part:
Tomatoes. Okanagon tomatoes, this time.
@greenandrewwest
Introduction, including a bit about how big food is in his policy/his focus on making good connections with farmers.
Then peas. Andrew eats his peas. All of them.
Introduction, including a bit about how big food is in his policy/his focus on making good connections with farmers.
Then peas. Andrew eats his peas. All of them.
@AnnamiePaul :
Land acknowledgement, introduction, a bit about how Caribbean culture is tightly connected to farming.
I forget what she said— @MeryamHd2020 has apparently been expelled from the leadership race?!
Land acknowledgement, introduction, a bit about how Caribbean culture is tightly connected to farming.
I forget what she said— @MeryamHd2020 has apparently been expelled from the leadership race?!
@MeryamHd2020
Has to leave to make an appeal within the 48 hours she now has to fight the expulsion. This is a bit of a shock.
And watermelons, of course. Green for the planet, red for the people.
Has to leave to make an appeal within the 48 hours she now has to fight the expulsion. This is a bit of a shock.
And watermelons, of course. Green for the planet, red for the people.
@AmitaKuttner :
Answering from their off-grid greenhouse where they grow what seems to be tons of stuff.
Don’t think she mentioned a favourite garden food. Still reeling a little from Meryam’s announcement, sorry.
Answering from their off-grid greenhouse where they grow what seems to be tons of stuff.
Don’t think she mentioned a favourite garden food. Still reeling a little from Meryam’s announcement, sorry.
@Glen4Climate :
Intro, then tomatoes, but now yams. Apparently yams are really climate resistant and Glen grows them himself now.
Considers them better than tomatoes. Wonder how Dimitri and Courtney will respond.
Intro, then tomatoes, but now yams. Apparently yams are really climate resistant and Glen grows them himself now.
Considers them better than tomatoes. Wonder how Dimitri and Courtney will respond.
@DavidMerner :
Land acknowledgement and introduction, talks about how important food security is on his island’s community.
Don’t think he gave a favourite food.
Land acknowledgement and introduction, talks about how important food security is on his island’s community.
Don’t think he gave a favourite food.
Q2: In today’s megacorp landscape, how do we give everyone local food sovereignty?
@courtghoward :
Makes a connection between pharma corporations and big ag corporations and their effect on the practices.
Wants to ban big Corp presence in universities, generic data systems that isn’t proprietary, and focusing on a regenerative economy.
Makes a connection between pharma corporations and big ag corporations and their effect on the practices.
Wants to ban big Corp presence in universities, generic data systems that isn’t proprietary, and focusing on a regenerative economy.
@greenandrewwest :
Makes a crack about whether candidates can debate if tomatoes are fruits or vegetables.
Our official stance is that they are fruits.
Local food is a huge priority—the definition of local food is kinda messy in policy. Also need to support farmers more.
Makes a crack about whether candidates can debate if tomatoes are fruits or vegetables.
Our official stance is that they are fruits.
Local food is a huge priority—the definition of local food is kinda messy in policy. Also need to support farmers more.
@AnnamiePaul :
Tomatoes are fruit.
Her favourite garden food is aki, which I can confirm is good. Kinda like eggs somehow? Great with salt fish!
Also says to support farmers, and wants an expansion of urban and rural gardens, family farms, etc.
Tomatoes are fruit.
Her favourite garden food is aki, which I can confirm is good. Kinda like eggs somehow? Great with salt fish!
Also says to support farmers, and wants an expansion of urban and rural gardens, family farms, etc.
Also adds something about oligarchies strangling our agriculture. Bit of a tune change there?
@AmitaKuttner :
Tomatoes are fruit.
This is a time to focus on relocalizing food, which is also an opportunity for community building.
Also wants to ensure farmers can keep seeds
@AmitaKuttner :
Tomatoes are fruit.
This is a time to focus on relocalizing food, which is also an opportunity for community building.
Also wants to ensure farmers can keep seeds
Points out how climate change will affect where and what we can grow for food in Canada, and that we have to get ready for that.
@Glen4Climate :
Tomatoes can be whatever they want to be.
Have to link food and water security. China’s buying up fresh water rights, so is Nestle
@Glen4Climate :
Tomatoes can be whatever they want to be.
Have to link food and water security. China’s buying up fresh water rights, so is Nestle
In Canada we need a national nutrition strategy that puts food at the center.
Went on some stuff about dealing with pesticides that seemed impressive.
Went on some stuff about dealing with pesticides that seemed impressive.
@DavidMerner :
Agrees with Glen.
Need to subsidize local food more rather than mass agriculture. Need to shift where the money’s going.
Describes how it’s harder to bring in ag workers, and then also suggests agriculture can become connected with tourism.
Agrees with Glen.
Need to subsidize local food more rather than mass agriculture. Need to shift where the money’s going.
Describes how it’s harder to bring in ag workers, and then also suggests agriculture can become connected with tourism.
@dimitrilascaris :
Tomatoes are a vegetable, just to be contrarian.
Points out how we have a profit driven agriculture, that ignores externalized costs. Need to replace agrocorps to agro-ecology practices, through subsidy redistribution and socialized public monopoly marketing-
Tomatoes are a vegetable, just to be contrarian.
Points out how we have a profit driven agriculture, that ignores externalized costs. Need to replace agrocorps to agro-ecology practices, through subsidy redistribution and socialized public monopoly marketing-
Q4(?): what does decolonizing food security mean for you?
@AnnamiePaul :
If we’re going to approach things nation to nation then there’s going to be decisions one side disagrees with, like one sticking with animal agriculture if we don’t.
Wants to see indigenous people having full control and determination of what and how they eat
If we’re going to approach things nation to nation then there’s going to be decisions one side disagrees with, like one sticking with animal agriculture if we don’t.
Wants to see indigenous people having full control and determination of what and how they eat
@AmitaKuttner :
Been thinking about this a lot given what’s going on out East.
Says food instability is another facet of indigenous genocide. Says we need indigenous food systems, which requires properly defending rights and understanding our methods are invasive
Been thinking about this a lot given what’s going on out East.
Says food instability is another facet of indigenous genocide. Says we need indigenous food systems, which requires properly defending rights and understanding our methods are invasive
@Glen4Climate :
Frustrated with his colleagues cause he’s been in government. It’s hard to be green in government.
Biggest crops in Ontario are soy and corn, big ag crops, and requires a dangerous pesticide.
Asks how to fight that—and says getting rid of it. He got attacked—
Frustrated with his colleagues cause he’s been in government. It’s hard to be green in government.
Biggest crops in Ontario are soy and corn, big ag crops, and requires a dangerous pesticide.
Asks how to fight that—and says getting rid of it. He got attacked—
—and then won after 4 years but lost rural seats. Says it’s hard to change things in a democracy.
@DavidMerner :
Technical issues on my end, can’t hear much of this.
Something about adjusting policy to make it clear that we stand for [static].
Technical issues on my end, can’t hear much of this.
Something about adjusting policy to make it clear that we stand for [static].
@dimitrilascaris
Respond to @Glen4Climate with his experience taking on an ag or pharma corporation.
Says there’s too many diet related diseases in indigenous communities. Plus poor infrastructure around those communities from intense Ag operations that pollute water sources.
Respond to @Glen4Climate with his experience taking on an ag or pharma corporation.
Says there’s too many diet related diseases in indigenous communities. Plus poor infrastructure around those communities from intense Ag operations that pollute water sources.
@courtghoward :
Have to be very grateful for the new Canada food guide for how the creators refused to close doors to meet with big corps.
Says we need to check ourselves on vegan diets—we need to be humble to how sustainable indigenous diets are, even if some are meat-heavy.
Have to be very grateful for the new Canada food guide for how the creators refused to close doors to meet with big corps.
Says we need to check ourselves on vegan diets—we need to be humble to how sustainable indigenous diets are, even if some are meat-heavy.
Q5: what is an agriculture related asset in your region that contributes to food security, and how would you build on it?
@AnnamiePaul :
Her asset is the people. All the people who made urban gardens and roof gardens and so on. We got ourselves into this mess and can get ourselves out.
This is a moment of clarity where we can decide the changes we need to make to decarvonize food production
Her asset is the people. All the people who made urban gardens and roof gardens and so on. We got ourselves into this mess and can get ourselves out.
This is a moment of clarity where we can decide the changes we need to make to decarvonize food production
—and also slips in something about guaranteed livable income.
@AmitaKuttner :
Answer is similar: community. The off-grid island they live on is almost wholly self sustainable, and they’ve planned for if they get cut off from mainland food networks. It’s a matter of organizing and educating and sharing, knowing each other’s needs.
Answer is similar: community. The off-grid island they live on is almost wholly self sustainable, and they’ve planned for if they get cut off from mainland food networks. It’s a matter of organizing and educating and sharing, knowing each other’s needs.
@Glen4Climate :
People Power is the asset. Specifically government power. Talks about turning boulevards and empty parking lots into gardens.
Adds to Dimitri that there’s 9 provinces where bad pesticides aren’t allowed—wants Dimitri to see Glen’s approach works too
People Power is the asset. Specifically government power. Talks about turning boulevards and empty parking lots into gardens.
Adds to Dimitri that there’s 9 provinces where bad pesticides aren’t allowed—wants Dimitri to see Glen’s approach works too
@dimitrilascaris :
Agrees with @AmitaKuttner , and highlights temporary foreign ag workers who come in and do the work of agriculture and get put in the most danger, and that we are failing them.
Need to ensure they are treated as well as any citizen, by making them citizens
Agrees with @AmitaKuttner , and highlights temporary foreign ag workers who come in and do the work of agriculture and get put in the most danger, and that we are failing them.
Need to ensure they are treated as well as any citizen, by making them citizens
@courtghoward
Great Slave Lake is a great regional asset, as an example of a sustainable fishing environment.
Also agrees with @AmitaKuttner , cites an example of community organizing in her area.
Great Slave Lake is a great regional asset, as an example of a sustainable fishing environment.
Also agrees with @AmitaKuttner , cites an example of community organizing in her area.
@greenandrewwest :
His asset is Ottawa, specifically how it’s a mix of rural and urban.
Wants to raise an issue about how local food gets shipped out to distribution and then shipped back to Ottawa. Wants to fix that
His asset is Ottawa, specifically how it’s a mix of rural and urban.
Wants to raise an issue about how local food gets shipped out to distribution and then shipped back to Ottawa. Wants to fix that
Closing statements coming up!
Before then a reminder to check out all the candidates’ websites, donate, phonebank, and vote starting Sept 26.
Also, BC election started! Greens in the province are looking for volunteers.
Before then a reminder to check out all the candidates’ websites, donate, phonebank, and vote starting Sept 26.
Also, BC election started! Greens in the province are looking for volunteers.
Closing statements!
@AmitaKuttner
We need resilience—we’re facing overlapping crises and life is going to change drastically. Knows the trauma we’re getting ready to face.
Our future is in community building, empowering people to help empower each other.
@AmitaKuttner
We need resilience—we’re facing overlapping crises and life is going to change drastically. Knows the trauma we’re getting ready to face.
Our future is in community building, empowering people to help empower each other.
@Glen4Climate :
We need an empathy for rural Canadians. Used to be 1/2 of Canadians were involved with food production, now not so much
Need to take our big tent philosophy to let in farmers. Need to put food in the middle of the medical system
Has a very special set of skills
We need an empathy for rural Canadians. Used to be 1/2 of Canadians were involved with food production, now not so much
Need to take our big tent philosophy to let in farmers. Need to put food in the middle of the medical system
Has a very special set of skills
@davidmerner
I don’t know what it is, I just keep slipping off this guy’s answers.
Something about holding the government to account, need a leader who will focus on winning seats. Need a leader who will win seats.
I don’t know what it is, I just keep slipping off this guy’s answers.
Something about holding the government to account, need a leader who will focus on winning seats. Need a leader who will win seats.
@dimitrilascaris :
Mentions @MeryamHd2020 ‘s situation and has profound appreciation for her and everything she has said. Hopes we’ll see her back again soon.
[and from us at Justice Greens: Solidarity, Meryam!
]
Mentions @MeryamHd2020 ‘s situation and has profound appreciation for her and everything she has said. Hopes we’ll see her back again soon.
[and from us at Justice Greens: Solidarity, Meryam!
]
@courtghoward :
Talks about how the worst thing she’s seen are children in Africa she couldn’t save from malnutrition, and how important it is to ensure food security.
Talks about how the worst thing she’s seen are children in Africa she couldn’t save from malnutrition, and how important it is to ensure food security.
@greenandrewwest :
Impressed with all the candidates.
Also talks about how rural voters want a fiscally responsible party, and he is a fiscally responsible candidate.
Wants people to fill the full ballot when voting.
We’re sticking to our three candidates.
Impressed with all the candidates.
Also talks about how rural voters want a fiscally responsible party, and he is a fiscally responsible candidate.
Wants people to fill the full ballot when voting.
We’re sticking to our three candidates.
@AnnamiePaul :
Food insecurity is an intersectional issue. The Green Party is the best placed to face it because we understand how its all interconnected
We need to put food and food insecurity at the core because that connects everything. Excited for the next policy convention
Food insecurity is an intersectional issue. The Green Party is the best placed to face it because we understand how its all interconnected
We need to put food and food insecurity at the core because that connects everything. Excited for the next policy convention
That’s the end of this debate. Thank you all for tuning in and following along!
