Canada's "Right to Food" Trial Decision on Wednesday Sept 5

[SunnyAlberta]

http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=8758

http://carlydunsterlaw.com/right-to-food/

 

[J-Sanders]

What is your position on this topic or are you just a news aggregation service?

Jim

 

[SunnyAlberta]

Ha ha. I am all for urban farming. People should be able to grow their own food in the form of kitchen gardens, eggs and even dairy goats. I believe that most municipalities have sufficient bylaws in regards to cleanliness and sanitation, appearance, noise, etc. that making backyard animals illegal is excessive. If someone has dirty, noisy birds, charge them for being dirty and noisy. Chickens are no more of a nuisance than dogs, probably less.

 

[J-Sanders]

Ha ha. I am all for urban farming. People should be able to grow their own food in the form of kitchen gardens, eggs and even dairy goats. I believe that most municipalities have sufficient bylaws in regards to cleanliness and sanitation, appearance, noise, etc. that making backyard animals illegal is excessive. If someone has dirty, noisy birds, charge them for being dirty and noisy. Chickens are no more of a nuisance than dogs, probably less.

That is great, but the links go to articles that state in summary; All humans have the right to food.


Quote: Now this means in the context of the article that someone will have to provide said food to those who decide for what ever reason that they do not want to put forth the effort to acquire food. Which means in all practicality that the govt will have to provide said food without and specifically at request and without any type of means testing or any type of work program to participate.

This also means that the govt will have to go somewhere and procure said food and at what cost to the ratepayer/producer. I can imagine a law being put forth where the govt in need of food will be able to coerce you the producer into selling your chickens to the govt at a price set by the buyer which would be the govt!

Socialism at its finest.

Jim

 

[SunnyAlberta]

I wondered about that, too, Jim. Paul Hughes is the Calgarian fighting their bylaws on the basis of the "right to food" argument. He does acknowledge the availability of publicly-funded food banks, but says that food banks don't always offer culturally-appropriate or fresh foods. If I want free food, I'll probably get a lot of processed junk that will take away hunger but not necessarily make me healthier. I'm not in Calgary, by the way, but I understand that the December 5 court decision could make null and void all Canadian bylaws that oppose backyard livestock or kitchen gardens.

I am with you in that I believe that good food is grown with blood, sweat and tears and shouldn't just magically appear for anyone but the youngest of children and the severely disabled. There is value in teaching future generations that food doesn't come from a big box store or the food bank. My grandparents had a big back yard. It had no grass, only food. In some communities that would be illegal.

 

[J-Sanders]

Yeah, it sad that he couldn't fight the bylaws with the right to property clause. It has been neutered by the courts and he would have had no standing.

In my opinion a great food bank would be community gardens and farms. If someone had property and wanted to donate the use of it to a Food Co-op that provided support and education to the recipients, that would be top shelf and a win-win for everyone. Some how I doubt it would ever get past the committees and regulators.

Why they want to feed poor people crap food that makes you addicted to it in the same way as opium is evil in my opinion.

Jim

 

[SunnyAlberta]

In my opinion a great food bank would be community gardens and farms. If someone had property and wanted to donate the use of it to a Food Co-op that provided support and education to the recipients, that would be top shelf and a win-win for everyone. Some how I doubt it would ever get past the committees and regulators.

Why they want to feed poor people crap food that makes you addicted to it in the same way as opium is evil in my opinion.

He is also leading a Food Policy group in Calgary with an agenda to take unused green spaces and convert them to urban farms. No one should go hungry in "Cow Town".

My family has struggled financially due to my husband's health and inability to work fulltime. He, our autistic son, me my own health issues and our other two (seemingly healthy) kids all benefit from fresh food. I'm working hard to grow and prepare as much food at home as we can. Buying fresh food year 'round in Canada is cost prohibitive. And forget organics. I'm working at a community garden, begging for apples and cherries, learning to freeze and can, and making our own bread. Its a good thing I really enjoy being Martha Stewart because it takes a lot of time. The work is a good workout, though -- who needs the gym?! -- and we're eating better. By next year we should see our food bills go down... I hope. Getting started with a kitchen garden and chickens can be pricey when there are concerns about making things look good for the neighbours.

Paul Hughes does his cause a dis-service, I believe, because his yard looks like a dump. Those of us who are proponents of backyard farming need to be careful about being tidy so we don't upset the neighbours. Lowered property values should never be an argument against what we do.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

The judge makes her decision TODAY at 1:30pm MST.

 

[SunnyAlberta]

Do all Canadians have the right to raise and grow their own food?

 

[SunnyAlberta]

Judge Skene has ruled that Calgary's ban on keeping chickens is not a breach of the Charter of Rights.

Paul Hughes says he will be appealing the decision.