Industrialization In Canada Essay

For Canada, industrialization of the food system is a normative feature of the economic, political and social climate. Statistics Canada (2011) estimates that as one of the world’s leading agri-food trading nations, much of the global increase in agricultural production will come from Canada between the years 2007 to 2016 (amongst countries like Australia, Mexico, Turkey and the United States) (p. 15). If Canada is to compete globally on such a large scale, the country needs industrialization for mass production. Unfortunately, the focus on industrialization for mass production and consumption is not productive. Although figures suggest an economic surplus from current models, industrialization is only productive in the short-term, and comes
Through smaller-scale local labour and a focus on providing for Canadian citizens first, new Canadian food policy can effectively reshape the “free” market of agriculture. A national food policy is any form of systematic restructuring that would focus on national food sovereignty first, and export-based agriculture second. Without a nationalized food strategy, Canada currently runs the risk of food system monopolization from various corporations and enterprises. These food systems are not only a major source of economic stimulus for farmers and producers; they also provide a basic subsistence for the entire country. The British Institute of Mechanical Engineers (2014) believes governments in developed nations must implement policy to alter consumer expectations (p. 28). Through a series of policies retailers would be discouraged from wasteful practices. For example, France recently passed a law to ban food waste in grocery stores (Al Jazeera, 2015). Instead of throwing away food, it can be given to local food banks, kept on the counter longer, or a consumed through a series of initiatives promoting micro levels of