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As our CFIG members are aware, Ottawa and all the Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture and Food, agreed to endorse the development of a Grocery Code of Conduct for Canada—an objective long championed by CFIG.
The FPT have hired an independent facilitator, Marc Valois, to help launch that process and over the last few weeks, the facilitator has been engaged with associations seen as leaders on the Code issue or key to its successful completion. In September, the facilitator also convened a webinar with about 140 participants-associations and companies—from all sectors of our very large and multi-layered agri-food industry. The webinar was held to provide a briefing on objectives and progress thus far, and also to inform industry that about 10 associations would be selected to form a ‘Design Committee’ which will design the framework, scope and workplan for developing a Code, along with what elements or principles need to be captured in a Grocery Code.
When the design group has completed its work sometime this fall, a broader implementation group will be set up to begin the process of developing Canada’s Grocery Code, within the framework established by the Design Committee.
For the information of our members, the names of the organizations and individuals that have been selected to comprise the Design Committee are as follows:
Denise Allen Food Processors of Canada
Diane Brisebois Retail Council of Canada
Mathieu Frigon Dairy Processor Association of Canada
Michael Graydon Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada
Marcel Groleau Union des producteurs agricoles
Rebecca Lee Canadian Horticultural Council
Ron Lemaire Canadian Produce Marketing Association
Scott Ross Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Gary Sands Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers
Kathleen Sullivan Food and Beverage Canada
The Design Committee has held its first meeting and members have agreed to adhere to certain guidelines pertaining to confidentiality, to ensure more transparent, candid and constructive discussions within the group. However, general updates will be provided to our members on an ongoing basis. The development of a Grocery Code of Conduct, or practice, CFIG views as critical to safeguarding the long term sustainability and future of independent grocers. Your future.
A more detailed progress report will be presented at our CFIG Annual General Meeting in November.
