Applauding the report of the U.N. Special rapporteur on the right to food on Canada Thursday, the Food Secure Canada urged the federal government to take the recommendations seriously.

"This report echoes many of the concerns our members have had for years," Diana Bronson, executive director of the NGO, said in a press release.

"There are over 2 million people in this country who are severely or moderately food insecure.  Hunger is rampant in many Native and northern communities and government policies have not yet adequately addressed the issue of the right to food in Canada," said the executive director calling upon the federal government to take immediate action in tackling the food security in the country.

The U.N. special rapporteur released a twenty-one page report on food security in Canada last December, and the report will be formally presented to the U.N. Council on Human Rights in Geneva March 4.

The 21-page report stated that around one million Canadians use a food bank every month and almost half of them are on social assistance.

Following the formal reporting day, the Food Secure Canada will hold a two-day nation-wide discussion in the country where the U.N. special rapporteur, Olivier De Schutter, will present the main results of the report of his Mission to Canada and participate in the discussion.

Olivier De Schutter toured across Canada last spring during his 11-day fact-finding mission.

"A national conversation on the right to food and a national public policy framework for food are long overdue," said the executive director.

"People will be gathering in community centers, food banks, and educational institutions right across the country to participate," added the executive director referring to the online conversation with the U.N. special rapporteur.

However, the Toronto Sun reported that the federal government had been annoyed by the special report.

"Go and talk to countries who are having problems producing food. Zimbabwe up until 15 years ago could feed themselves plus they exported 80% of what they grew, today they can't even feed themselves. Go and advise them," the Toronto Sun quoted MP and farmer Larry Miller as saying. 

To contact the editor, e-mail: