[getsmart-l] Fw: National Farmers Union Ontario Commentary - A way of saying people, communities and the environment matter

[John O'Gorman]

This is a marvellous argument that says that agriculture has effects that extend W - A - A - A - Y beyond the limited economic boundaries that some people try to apply to it.
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Ontag The Bullpen 
To: John O'Gorman 
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 10:13 AM
Subject: National Farmers Union Ontario Commentary - A way of saying people, communities and the environment matter



Sender: National Farmers Union Ontario <grant at bmts.com>

 

A way of saying people, communities and the environment matter

 

A commentary for the National Farmers Union-Ontario

By Grant Robertson

 

Many in the agricultural community across Canada look to the province of Quebec as an example of farm support programming they would like to see for themselves.  In Quebec the farm community plays an important cultural and political role.  Farmers are perceived as contributing to the economic and social well-being of Quebec.  As well, because of the nature of Quebec ridings and politics, politicians in Quebec at all levels must pay attention to farm issues or find themselves outside of government quickly.  One thing that many outside Quebec miss is that the position of farmers in the province has a direct relationship to Quebec farmers willing to stand up to government, to be strong and on occasion to kick government in the shin when necessary.

 

With this in mind it will be interesting to see the reaction to a report recently released in Quebec.  Quebec has a Sustainable Development Commissioner who works under the auspices of the Quebec Auditor General.  It is the role of the Commissioner to provide oversight in regards to the 2006 Sustainable Development Act.  The report focuses in a large part on the sustainability of agricultural production in Quebec.  

 

One of the interesting aspects of that report is the principles upon which the examination took place.  Based upon an examination of the outcomes of agricultural policy in Ontario the NFU filed a complaint with the province's Ombudsman.  After examining the outcomes the NFU felt that action had to be taken in the long term interests of family farmers.  What is interesting in the principles outlined in the Quebec report is that they match quite closely the concerns outlined by the NFU.  In the Quebec report the following principles of sustainability are outlined:

-It is important to know the historical context of current development in order to identify the appropriate interventions for the change of direction that needs to be brought about.

-Sustainable development refers to everything associated with development, including economic activities.

-Sustainable development is not a field that is reserved for specialists

 

It is a wordy and bureaucratic way of saying people, communities and the environment matter.

 

As Ontario's farmers move towards an uncertain future these principles are ones that should at least be considered when agricultural, health and environmental legislation is proposed by government.  Preserving farm land without taking into account the economic health of farmers will not work under these principles.  Taking environmental action that benefits all of society without all of society contributing equally would not be sustainable and would not carry a likelihood of long term success.  Separating food and food production from health is clearly unworkable under the Quebec principles of sustainability.  There is much in the report that is specific to the conditions of Quebec, or that might be misdirected, however the use of a sustainable lens for examining the outcomes of policy is an approach worth considering.  One has to wonder what the outcome of such an approach would be in Ontario.

 

________________________________________________________________________

Grant Robertson is a senior official with the National Farmers Union-Ontario and a National Board Member of the NFU. Grant and his family farm near Paisley, Ontario.  The author can be contacted at grant at bmts.com

If you have been forwarded this commentary and would like to be added to the distribution list please send an email to grant at bmts.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. 

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