Food + Farming
Cohen Commission resumes hearings
By August 15, 2011 05:00 pm 2 commentsThe Cohen Commission will resume its hearings on Wednesday, August 17, but the greatest interest will likely be in the August 24-25 testimony of Dr. Kristi Miller. Read more…
Feds leave slaughterhouse inspections to B.C.
By August 10, 2011 04:44 pm 1 commentsThe federal government has announced it will be leaving the task of slaughterhouse inspections to the provinces after 2014, although it will continue to examine slaughterhouses that export meat out of province. Read more…
Wheat Board holds first of several meetings on future, MLAs, MPs invited
By August 8, 2011 02:48 pm 3 commentsThe Canadian Wheat Board is holding the first of seven public regional meetings about its future tonight in Regina, without the presence of the city's provincial and federal elected officials. Read more…
Federal scientists' union protests 'muzzling' of salmon researcher
By July 28, 2011 05:50 pm 5 commentsThe union representing federal scientists has protested the "muzzling" of a respected salmon researcher by the Privy Council Office. Read more…
Saanich council passes local food motion
By July 12, 2011 03:42 pm 4 commentsSaanich district council unanimously passed a motion last night to adopt a local food procurement policy. Read more…
Filed inProvince seeks public input on house size in ALR
By July 7, 2011 12:00 pm 2 commentsBritish Columbians have one week left to submit their input on a provincial bylaw standard aimed to help municipalities curb the proliferation of "McMansions" on property within the Agricultural Land Reserve [ALR]. Read more…
Filed inNew website, app map Vancouver's food sources
By June 30, 2011 12:04 pmVancouver's food policy council launched the results of a two-year research project tracking every grocery store, community garden and farmer's market in the city. Read more…
Filed inRevamped Save-On-Meats subject of Oprah network series
By June 21, 2011 12:43 pm 1 commentsFollowing a tough restoration, Vancouver's historic Save-on-Meats re-opens tomorrow -- and soon, everyone will have behind-the-scenes access.
The revamped four-floor, 22,000 square-foot food hub is the subject of a national documentary series, currently in production with the Oprah Winfrey Network. Read more…
Filed inBC government delays report while agricultural commission suffers: NDP critic
By June 2, 2011 11:20 am 3 commentsThe New Democratic Party's agriculture critic Lana Popham is questioning the government's delay releasing a report on the needs of the Agricultural Land Commission, an agency she says lacks the budget to do its job properly. Read more…
New fish farm proposal spawns call for moratorium
By May 19, 2011 05:00 pm 8 commentsA proposal from one of B.C.'s largest fishery operators to establish a new 56-hectare open-net fish farm in Clayoquot Sound has led to a call for a permanent moratorium on such facilities. Read more…
Filed inForeign trade zone threatens Delta farmland, says MLA
By May 17, 2011 05:51 pm 7 commentsThe provincial government's interest in foreign trade zones is likely to lead to the destruction of more farm land in Delta, says independent MLA Vicki Huntington. Read more…
Morton: 'We won't save wild salmon unless more people get involved'
By May 6, 2011 07:55 pm 3 commentsIn the wake of the federal election that gave the Conservatives a majority government, Alexandra Morton told The Tyee that "We're not going to save the wild salmon unless a lot more people get involved." Read more…
Conservatives poised to end Wheat Board monopoly
By May 3, 2011 03:26 pm 11 commentsWith a majority government, Conservatives now have the power to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly over wheat and barley sales in Western Canada. It's a contentious issue, but one the Tories have made no secret of. Read more…
Filed inParties weigh in on CETA
By April 29, 2011 01:38 pm 1 commentsA fair trade awareness group has released the results of their questionnaire for political leaders on the proposed Canadian--European Union free trade agreement, revealing levels of concern ranging from strong to non-existent among the party leaders. Read more…
People's food policy offers blueprint for food secure Canada
By April 18, 2011 09:45 am 1 commentsThe People's Food Policy Project, an umbrella group that represents food security advocates and organizations has released its vision for a food secure Canada.
Among its far-reaching recommendations include include indigenous food and land rights, a national poverty reduction strategy and a plan for sustainable fisheries. Read more…
Filed inFarmers' markets have tenuous hold on urban space
By April 5, 2011 10:00 am 1 commentsAs farmers markets grow in popularity across the province, the biggest challenge they face is finding a permanent place in the urban fabric, according to the new president of the B.C. Association of Farmers' Markets. Read more…
Filed inReport shows gap between rules and reality for US farm workers
By March 31, 2011 02:39 pm 1 commentsIn California, which produces much of the produce that B.C. consumes, farm labour laws are too often ignored, according to a new report from the United Farm Workers. Read more…
Filed inMorton charges DFO coverup, declares 'May Day' for wild salmon
By March 31, 2011 02:25 pm 11 commentsBiologist Alexandra Morton has charged the Department of Fisheries and Oceans with suppressing evidence of viral infections in Fraser sockeye, and called for a "May Day for Wild Salmon" rally in Victoria on May 1. Read more…
Filed inFarmers, customers burned by Home Grow-In look to rebuild
By March 18, 2011 03:06 pmA group of farmers and customers who are now out of pocket and in the dark about what led to the bankruptcy of the local food enterprise they invested in met last night in Vancouver to determine what, if anything, can be salvaged from it. Read more…
Filed inFarnworth backed by NDP farm set
By March 16, 2011 02:20 pmFormer MLA and agriculture minister Corky Evans, along with Richmond councillor and farmland advocate Harold Steves were among those who announced their support for NDP leadership hopeful Mike Farnworth today. Read more…
Filed in
The next page contains:
Southlands debate continues in Delta
New West to revive farmers' market coupon program
Kwantlen approves sustainable agriculture degree
GMO bill struck down in Ottawa
North launches 'Drop the Pop' campaign
Monsanto alfalfa could hurt Canada's organic markets: MP Atamanenko
Metro responds to growth strategy criticism
Metro's growth strategy likely to cause legal problems: lawyer
Radical changes required to feed the world: report
Reusable food-to-go cartons pioneered in Portland
Agriculture council wants food, farming on the leadership agenda
Scientists suspect virus may be cause of salmon deaths
Board approves growth plan for Metro Vancouver
BC salmon farms increase sea lice numbers: Report
Sea lice didn't hurt salmon in 2002: report
Fish farmers respond to Cohen ruling
Proposed gas plant too close to homes, farms say Peace residents
Cohen orders fish farms to submit health data back to 2000
BC company seeks approval for 'non-browning' apple
Migrant workers win historic contract
The page after that contains:
New 'Craigslist' for local food launches in BC
Salmon inquiry hopes to be commission to end all commissions
'Let First Nations manage fisheries': UBC prof
First Nations say relationship with DFO must change to create sustainable fishery
Fish farm industry denies keeping 'secret' data on sea lice epidemic
Morton finishes four-day paddle down Fraser as sockeye inquiry begins
Flooded farmers desperate for supplies
Cohen Commission to begin evidentiary hearings October 25
Morton calls 'all wild salmon people' to Vanier Park on October 25
Proposed trade treaty a threat to food security: Farmers' Union
New farm standard hopes to tap demand for local
Salmon farms, sea lice main cause of huge drop in coho: Studies
Panel offers tips for a regional food strategy
Harper government acknowledges climate change in new report
Wild salmon losing out in a crowded ocean
Ontario farmer defies raw milk ban in BC
Cuts threaten BC farmland: AG report
Harper cracking under egg, dairy lobby?
Salmon bloggers happy about sockeye, less so about DFO
New chair to review Agricultural Land Commission
Democratic Trust
As British Columbia and other jurisdictions consider allowing online voting, can it be made secure enough that people will trust it? Will it encourage more people to vote? But if something goes wrong, will it further erode people's confidence in their democracies? And what role is the media likely to play in shaping the debate?
These are among the issues to be considered at a May 26 discussion that Fair Voting BC and PartyX are hosting at The Hive in Vancouver. I'll be on the panel, along with UBC Law's Fathima Cader and SFU computer scientist Steve Wolfman. The results and recommendations are to inform the two organizations' public positions on online voting.
Meanwhile join me and other contributors on The Hook as we bring you the latest from B.C. and across Canada.
-- Andrew MacLeod
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