Food Systems Governance in Canada: Taking Stock of Civil Society Engagement (anglais)

Jeudi 14 Novembre 2024 - 11:15h - 12:30h

Drawing on a national survey, interviews and a series of case studies from across Canada and Indigenous territories, this panel will interrogate the activities of civil society actors in food systems governance, asking: What does this engagement look like and has it had an impact?

The panelists will begin by describing food systems governance, as informed by the scholarly research and interviews with civil society leaders, followed by a picture of civil society, who they are and how they work. They will present a snapshot of the development of a growing social movement at the national, provincial, territorial and local levels, over the past four decades.

The primary focus of this panel will feature insights from four case studies - the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council, the Coalition for Healthy School Food, the National Organics Technical Committee, and Great Lakes fisheries governance - with an emphasis on questions of strategic engagement and impact. The panel will discuss the approaches to governance engagement (from multi-stakeholderism to self-governance [Andree et al., 2019]), the conditions actors have opted to convene their own conversations (Clark et al., 2023), and to what effect.

The panelists will point to insights emerging from our collective research about the state of civil society engagement in food systems governance and the impact of a growing social movement, in terms of both governance norms and food-related decisions in ways that further sustainability and equity goals.

We will end with a broad discussion with session participants about the strengths and limitations of civil society and food movement engagement in food systems governance in Canada.

Speakers:

Peter Andree, Carleton University
Abra Brynne, Dalhousie University
Kristen Lowitt, Queens University
Patricia Ballamingie, Carleton University

Chair:

Charles Levkoe, Canada Research Chair in Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems, Lakehead University

Sources:

Andrée, P., Clark, J. K., Levkoe, C. Z., & Lowitt, K. (2019). Civil society and social movements in food system governance (p. 216). Taylor & Francis.

Clark, J. K., Lowitt, K., Levkoe, C. Z., & Andrée, P. (2021). The power to convene: making sense of the power of food movement organizations in governance processes in the Global North. Agriculture and Human Values, 38(1), 175-191.