The 100 mile diet is the focus of many public policies, but apparently not when B.C.’s civic leaders gather.
The Regional District of North Okanagan is calling on the Union of B.C. Municipalities to work towards having 100 per cent B.C. food items at its events.
“Much of it was not locally produced,” said director Mike Macnabb at his attendance at the recent UBCM convention in Victoria.
“We were eating chicken that comes from I don’t know who.”
Macnabb also points out that he had to use Chinese butter at another UBCM event.
“We don’t have butter in this province?” he said.
Macnabb is concerned that while residents are being told that agriculture is important for local economies and healthy communities, decision-makers are not putting platitudes into practise.
“They had a farm tour in Victoria that delegates went on but there was no on the ground acknowledgement of how important buying local is,” he said.
Director Kevin Acton supports using as much B.C. produced food at events but says 100 per cent may not be realistic.
“I’m not sure if you’ve ever found an olive from B.C.,” he said.
