On May 9 2012, Olivier de Schutter, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, visited Toronto while undertaking a formal country mission to Canada to meet with key stakeholders related to the right to food.

FoodShare executive director Debbie Field presented to Mr. de Schutter at a special afternoon meeting on Economic Accessibility and the Right to Food discussing three key policy recommendations: establishing a Ministry of Food Security, strengthening the social safety net to reduce hunger, and implementing a national student nutrition program.

In the evening, FoodShare hosted a special dinner meeting at our Field to Table Community Food Hub with the Special Rapporteur focused on Children and Food. We were joined by members of the Toronto Partners for Student Nutrition Steering Committee, and ten presenters representing various organizations involved in advocating for the right to food and national student nutrition programs.

Resources
FoodShare’s statement on the Case for a National Student Nutrition Policy and Program
FoodShare’s statement on the Canadian Crisis of Food Security: Building a Public Food System
Backgrounder on the Canadian Crisis of Food Security: Building a Public Food System