Table Matters: The North Shore Food Security Network Social Evening

Monday, March 12, 2011 from 6:30 - 8:30pm
North Vancouver District Hall
355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver

Theme: Social evening (no agenda)  
 
Come out on March 12 for snacks and visit with others in the North Shore Table Matters Network. Note: since there are no Council meetings on March 12 due to spring break, a special invitation goes out to municipal councillors.

Minutes from the February 13 Table Matters Network meeting are at the end of this newsletter. Thank you to Ann Pentland for her notes. We had a good discussion about presenting a delegation and several food projects have begun to plan delegations to Council. Thank you to Cristina Rucci, Heather Johnstone and Kyle Storm for providing great information.

Action items from the February 13 meeting
1. The CLUCK group is planning a delegation on urban chickens to the City of North Vancouver Council on April 2 and the District of North Vancouver Council on April 16. All supporters welcome to attend. Contact Lianne Shyry at twobeesapiary@shaw.ca.
2. Margaret will look into having a visual recorder attend an upcoming meeting to create a map of the wider impacts of community food projects on individuals, neighbourhoods and community. These include social and economic impacts.
3. The group recommended that a delegation present to Council about the Table Matters Network.
4. An upcoming meeting will have the topic of muncipal food policy.

Updates
1. Advancing Urban Agriculture Grant Applications now available.
Grants for up to $2,000 are available from Vancouver Coastal Health for urban agriculture and food security projects. Deadline for application is March 9, 2012. Applications available from Margaret Broughton: margaret.broughton@vch.ca or at  http://www.tablematters.ca/.

2. Film night: join EcoUrbia to watch DIRT!
Hear first-hand from local experts & champions working to protect and preserve this underrated natural resource—they will share with us their practical experience with soil as a living web of organisms, and the challenges & successes they’ve encountered, with an opportunity for public dialogue. Kay Meek Center - Studio Theatre. 1700 Mathers Street, West Vancouver (next to West Van Secondary). Doors Open 6:15 pm ~ Film & Speakers 6:30 - 8:30pm
Admission is FREE – space is limited to 148 seats. RSVP to info@ecourbia.org to reserve a seat.
 
3.  A Sustainable Harvest: Weathering the Impact of Climate Change on BC's Food Supply
Climate change is a reality, already affecting our food supply. What happens both globally and locally affects our access to safe, nutritious and affordable food – necessary for our health and well-being. Developing a more sustainable and secure food system will require choices and actions by the food industry, public policy makers and consumers alike. While there are no easy answers, this summary culled from the latest research offers some food for thought to put these issues in a new light. [Provincial Health Services Authority]

4.  Meet Your Urban Farmer (video series)
This short film series, Meet your Urban Farmer, will introduce urban farmers in the Metro Vancouver area, including the Edible Garden Project Volunteer Coordinator, Emily Jubinvill.  Many of you have probably met  Vita Mavronicolas, film maker and North Shore resident, who created the film. Watch the trailer.


Detailed Minutes of the February 13 Table Matters Network Meeting
 Presenting a Delegation to Council
> 5 minute time limit in District (10 in the City)- council can ask questions for 1/2 hour if needed. Must find form on website to apply for an appointment.
> Usually only one delegation per Council meeting.
Application to council delegation DNV : gordonj@dnv.org
 
Other speaking opportunity (not a delegation) 2 minutes, no questions from Council.
 
Tips from Cristina Rucci, Social Planner, DNV - Presentation, power point, but must be ready 2 weeks before. Be sure you are ready for the presentation. Provide a one page outline of presentation.
 
-  Make any requests at the beginning, then build on it. Make it interesting.
 

• Ask friends etc to come to the meeting too, so the room is full and there is a lot of support. Have others to sign up for the 2 min. Presentation in your support. Agenda is posted on Friday so there is time to get supporters. Keep it simple and friendly.  They are friendly too.
• Check out the OCP and what they already support. Tie your proposal to something that they already support. Budget approved in early year - feb, march.

 
Tips from Heather Johnstone, EGP Coordinator- Try to put yourselves in their shoes. People always want something, so frame it as a solution they already face, so easier for them. We have some creative ways to solve this problem.
- They don't like surprises. If you have an idea what how they will respond to your position it helps.
- Acknowledge that there may be problems to, don't hide them. ---- Identify your allies on council, etc...know who has the most to loose if you win.
- Read through the whole agenda so you know what issues are going to be talked about.
- Also know the councils budget and whether they have any money to spend on your project. Say that you are supporting your issue or not.
- LOTS OF PICTURES.
- Say “Ask me more about that later!!”
- Address them properly...your worship, councillor, etc. web site has all the rules to follow. 
 
Other discussion
 

• Connect the issues together as they can be united. How policies can be connected together. How issues support each other and the OCP. Go to the district’s goals.
• Connect back to Table Matters so Councillors know that it exists. Schematic of all projects & how they connect. Communicate that a wide variety of people support your position, not just a fringe group. 
• Infographic –visual notes showing links among themes.  Also recruit unlikely allies that would connect.

 
Tips from Kyler Storm – District Dialogers Toastmasters Club www.ditrictdialoguers.com which meets Tuesday s noon-1:15pm at the DNV Hall - keep voice up. Use fear to excite your voice. Practice and run through the scenario with gestures, eye contact etc. relax, take a deep breath. Audiences want you to succeed. Other tips available at www.toastmasters.org
 
We began working at brainstorming the connections of the Food Recovery Project to other issues and programs in the community. The group would like to continue this exercise at a future meeting and perhaps develop an infographic that visually shows the local social, economic etc. connections of the food projects associated with the NS Table Matters Network.
 
Salvation Army Food Rescue Project. Below are the results of our discussion on connections to other community programs, services, as well as social and economic benefits of the food rescue project:
> Food/meals shared with people in need on the North Shore
> Nshore recycling connection
> Food rescue – prevent food from going to garbage
> Job creation/employment programs – cooks, chefs etc.
> Composting – supports entrepreneurship and new technology
> Nshore fruit tree rescues fruit and it is canned at SA kitchen (apples and figs) – fig compote was sold
> Canning workshops
> Community kitchens
> Cysco and Whole foods – creating partnerships to rescue food
> Volunteers & training
> School cooking classes & school lunches - education of food
> People that purchase the meals
> Compost connect with Loutet farm
> Compost on-site leads to community composting - sale of soil
> Zero Organics in the land fill
> Bear & wildlife
> Food safety & country of origin
> Chickens eat food waste and create compost material (can eat bread which is available in excess.)
> Supports MetroVancouver waste reduction plan for 0 organics in garbage by 2013
 
We also considered the potential negative aspects of the food rescue project:
> Compost odor, rats, bears - perception or real?
> food safety
> Union concerns - garbage men
> Cost of composters etc., wo pays, who profits
> Pilot leads to future years
> Timing to endure max food utilization
> Nimby - where is the building?
> Education on 3 levels - not taking away from food bank
> 
> Chicken delegation possibly first week in April
> Talk to councillors if you see them, hear their concerns
> Village North Shore. Aka Village Vancouver
> Citizens de-carbonizing & localizing their community
> 
> 
> District April 16 Chicken Delegation (schedule is subject to change)
> City April 2