Harvest of Letters
Contact your Member of Parliament!
One of the ways Canadian Foodgrains Bank works to end global hunger is by influencing public policies. We engage Canadian citizens in this work by selecting policy changes that can be accomplished through support from the public and asking concerned citizens to send personal, handwritten letters to their MPs.
This year we are asking people to write about Canada's commitment to making sure people who are hungry get the food assistance they need.
Click here for a this year's harvest of letters guide and sample letter.
The issue: Making a generous commitment to the Food Assistance Convention
When it comes to emergency food aid, Canada has been among the most generous donor countries in the world. Canada is part of an international agreement called the Food Assistance Convention, which governs the provisions of emergency food aid. We commend the Canadian government for upholding its generous commitments in recent years.
A new form of the treaty was recently negotiated with other donor countries, which is an important step, since much of the 1999 treaty was out of date.
Within previous agreements, Canada provided a minimum of 420,000 tonnes of food aid each year to meet people’s immediate food needs around the world. That’s the highest level of support per capita in the world. We’re very thankful to the federal government for this commitment and to policy makers who have supported this. We hope this level of support will continue.
The new agreement, now known as the Food Assistance Convention, is being formally accepted by many donor countries, including Canada. It comes with many improvements on how emergency food needs are met.
But, the new agreement took one significant step backward.
Instead of a predictable, long term promise it used to have, countries who’ve signed on will be required to make new commitments on how much food assistance will be given each year. In a time of cutbacks, there is a risk that Canada’s commitment may be reduced.
What we’re asking for
We would like Canada to continue to be a leader in providing emergency food assistance, both in quantity and quality. That means making a commitment of about $225 million per year – each year – toward appropriate emergency food assistance.
Before June 2013, Canada will be required to make its commitment toward the new Food Assistance Convention. Now is the time to influence this decision to ensure there is a strong and lasting commitment to ending global hunger.
You can help influence Canada’s commitment to the Food Assistance Convention.
Send a message to -- or meet with -- your Member of Parliament expressing your wishes that Canada be a generous and predictable contributor to emergency food needs around the world. Your message on this issue will contribute to ending hunger for people in other countries who are in need of emergency food aid. The most vulnerable people should not have to bear the brunt of budgetary cutbacks in their time of need.
If you'd like to make a difference, write a letter to your MP or organize a letter-writing event for your community. Our advocacy guide -
A Voice at the Table - can also help you plan a simple, and effective, event. You could go the extra mile and plan to meet with your MP. We are open to help with this, just let us know by email
foodjustice@foodgrainsbank.ca.
Keep in touch by joining the food justice network – you’ll receive bi-monthly emails to keep you up-to-date.
Resources for Letter Writing or Awareness Events and Meetings With MPs:
