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Suzanne: Thanks so much everyone for making the time to be here today. I am the director and the producer and the cinematographer and also, along with my family, the subject and the crazy instigator of First We Eat. I’m speaking to you from Dawson in the Yukon, on the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëchin. This is where I live and have raised my family.
Dawson is a tiny, remote community at 64 degrees north, only 300 km from the Arctic Circle. We’re literally at the end of the road. The nearest Starbucks is 550 km away. A few years ago, the only road into the Yukon was closed, by a landslide. Within 48 hours, supermarket shelves began to go bare. That was my wake up call.
Spoiler alert: Nobody got scurvy. My husband did lose 30 pounds in the first two months, but he was okay with that. And most importantly, we did it!
In the process I became healthier than I have been in years. In fact, even though the year is long over, I continue to source and eat 90 to 95% local to my community.
In Dawson, our climate and our isolation accentuate our vulnerability. But even in southern Canada most grocery stores only stock three to five days worth of food. This pandemic has made us all acutely aware of the length of the food chain and the need to shorten it. If your grocery store shelves went empty, especially in January, where would you find your food?
I strongly believe that one of our greatest resources, no matter where we live, are community knowledge holders – local farmers, indigenous communities, foragers, and gardeners. And every community is unique. I also believe that the way forward is to shorten the food chain and strengthen local food ecosystems. When local food producers are supported by consumers, both big and small, we all benefit.
When we are truly connected to the food on our plate, we come to value, to respect and want to protect the people, the animals and the land that helped put it there.
First We Eat is a celebration of local food, the land that provides it and the people who work hard to produce it. And if my family can eat local in a tiny community in the far north of Canada, then it can be done almost anywhere.
My goal is to use this film as a catalyst to inspire people to think about where their food comes from and to find ways to access local food in their communities. I want this film to spark important discussions with key decision makers in the room. From a survey of audience for First We Eat – 93% said they will be taking action to support local food after they watched the film. So how can we use First We Eat to achieve these goals.
I’m imagining lots of community screenings, virtual or otherwise, with panel discussions about local food issue relevant to your community, with key decision makers in the room, raising awareness, making change.
I’m imagining celebrating local food across the different regions of Canada with safe and responsible feast and film events and discussion.
I would love to discuss how a virtual screening of this film can become a meeting place between local food producers and food buyers, distributors and those involved in procurement. There’s an excellent example from Saskatchewan whereby the decision of ONE food distributor in the room was able to increase the volume of local produce consumed in that province from 1000 kg/yr to 1.3 million kg/yr over 6 years!
I’m imagining the creation of an educational curriculum guide to help bring this film into schools and get young people thinking about where their food comes from.
And I’m imagining the creation of a First We Eat ‘cookbook’ of sorts - how do you turn sugar beets into sugar – where organizations can commit to buying a certain number at cost and then when they sell them and have the profit support their organization.
So if you can help in any way bringing these goals to fruition through in-kind support, hosting screenings, networking I would be most appreciated. If you know of a funder or a funding stream who, in exchange for a charitable receipt, would consider donating funds to provide screening fees for organizations who cannot afford it, or donate funds that would allow me to hire an all-important impact producer and outreach coordinator, I would love to hear from you.
David Suzuki says: “In a time of climate chaos, we cannot go on living as we do and local agriculture must be a primary focus if we are to live in a more sustainable way.”
First We Eat is ready for sharing. I’m ready to work together to use First We Eat in any way I can to help create an incredible local food ecosystem. Thank you.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CHAT?
WHO ATTENDED?
Alexandra Sienkiewicz, Editor - Edible Toronto Magazine
Editing and proofing skills for cookbook, explore connecting Suzanne to CBC Gem, virtual screening for Edible community either nationally or internationally
Alfred Von Mirbach - ecoPerth
Work with Ramsey on screening, organize some kind of Personal Action Pledge similar to one he's made before regarding climate change, Reach out to Wintergreen (Kingston) to organize an educational event for the public.
Benjamin Vidmar, Creative Director - Polar Permaculture
Organize screening, donation of $500, co-ordinate and collaborate with Suzanne regarding their org's work on a Zero Waste restaurant, offer of opportunity for Suzanne to come on board as a paid consultant.
Bob Blumer, Celebrity Chef
Offer of mentorship re: cookbook, helping to create something with larger reach.
Carrie Regan, VP Global Content - Discovery
Offered her network connections to get First We Eat onto US networks and into film festivals.
Eric Pateman, Edible Canada
Help Suzanne with connections for national screening tour in collaboration with farms and other community hubs, some introductions to Canada's top culinary schools, connection with Random House re: cookbook.
Hannah Batten, Member Outreach - Eat Local Grey Bruce
Promote film through social media, newsletter, use a screening of the film to connect with their members, they have some member farmers including Indigenous farmers who are interested in helping with a cookbook. 2 hours a week volunteering to help with social media for the film.
Jennifer Glyka, Media Relations - Travel Yukon
Would like to meet with Suzanne to discuss potential collaboration on farm and film tour.
Kathryn Scharf, Chief Programs Officer - Community Food Centres Canada
Promote the film to their network, organize screenings in the various communities that form their network.
Kevin Piller, Logistics Team Lead - Food Stash
Promote the film through blogs and other platforms with Food Stash, explore how Food Stash can do more to connect with local food producers, possibly share the film with that network.
Michelle Reining, Executive Director - Vancouver Food Runners
Write a spotlight article for their volunteers, influencers, policy makers, connect with UBC farm in terms of education and curriculum
Nneka Otogbolu, Director of Communications and Equity Strategy- Edmonton Community Foundation
$5,000 donation. Explore how to celebrate local food producers in Edmonton. Promote screening.
Ramsey Hart, Executive Director - The Table Community Food Centre
Host a screening in Perth to bring together folks in the local food scene and see what connections can be made. Interested in working other groups on the call to apply the Food Infrastructure Fund.
Rolie Srivastava - La Tablée des Chefs
Organize a screening through UGuelph, interested in working together with Selma to get film into high schools, and teach kids how to work with local food. $101 donation.
Selma van Halder, Program Manager - Growing Chefs
Promote film with 15,000+ social media network, screen film for 200+ volunteers, connect with Suzanne about the cookbook (she is a chef and a recipe writer). Offer of help with creating recipes/curriculum.
Susanna Redekop, Communications Coordinator- Local Food and Farm Co-ops
Offer Suzanne & FWE a feature spot in their online assembly - gathers together cooperators, farmers, and food sectors event. Offer the film to member co-ops to be able to host their own screening. As member of the Toronto Food Policy Council, reach out to that network to see what they can do to help the film.
Tinu Mathur- SMI Board
Organize a screening hosted by Suzanne/SMI for Magnet community. $101
WHAT PLEDGES WERE PREVIOUSLY MADE AT OUR LIVE EVENT?
Buy Social Canada, Tori Williamson
Provide research, guides and tools on social procurement practices and offered services to on-board businesses and restaurants. Promote the film.
Vancouver Farmers Markets, Laura Smit
Access to local food procurement history and all their experience and knowledge, including the VFM Direct Project that worked as a vendor hub for Vancouver local food network.
Figure 1 Publishing, Tyee Bridge
Consultation to discuss publishing the First We Eat cookbook.
Klippers Organic Acres, Kevin Klippenstein
Screen the film at the 100% local food restaurant Row Fourteen, and teach people how to grow and process local food on their farm.
Veria.ca, Annelise Larson
Pro bono work for market research and five hours of mentorship time. Outreach in Saskatoon, as well as a place to stay and connect with chefs.
KPU Institute for Sustainable Food, Caroline Chiu
Economic and business writing, screening of the film at conference of 300 sustainable food experts. Share farm education program curriculum and provide a tour of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University farm. Connect with Indigenous groups that have worked with KPU for years.
Vancouver Food Policy Council/Researcher at UBC, Kelsey Timler
Host screenings across community centres and sell tickets to fundraise for impact campaign. Create a calendar of what to produce and harvest, and when. Help get film and local food into prisons and to other marginalized populations.
BC Farmer’s Markets, Heather O’Hara
Share with network of 145 members across province, over 4,000 vendors, 100+ NGOs through coupon program. Promote on social media.
Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society, Alexa Pitoulis
School screenings and connect to the national school food network.
Stories First Productions, Leena Minfie
Probono impact producing consulting services.
Postal Audio, Chris McIntosh
Audio mixing or design services
Highbury Foundation and Peter A. Allard, Ashley Sangha
$2500
Individual pledges
Donation of $1000 and a screening at the Northern Rothstein Theatre
Donation of $1000
Donation of $500 towards a writer and five hours of copy editing
Donation of $500, connection with broadcasting network and people who have concerns with food security
Ten hotel nights across Canada and food photography for cookbook
Pro bono time for marketing, communications, copy writing
Donation of $50
Harrowsmith Magazine & Radio, Wayne MacPhail
Interview with Suzanne for future episode of Harrowsmith Radio
100-Mile Diet, author J. B. MacKinnon
Work to build Suzanne’s film and related projects into the local plans that are developing to mark The 100-Mile Diet’s 15th anniversary
TEAM
Sue Biely
Anthony Swan
Jonny Morris
Brianna Girdler
Jenny Lee Craig
Anastasia Gaisenok
Natasha Shukor
Em Lubbers
Anis Annisa Maryam
WITH GREAT APPRECIATION
Good Pitch Vancouver Virtual
Program Donors
David Paperny
Audrey Mehler
Story Money Impact Donors
Leonard Schein
Laura Plant
Erika Harrison
Tracey Friesen
Dr Hilary Pada
Annette Frymer
David Goorevitch
Wayne Busse
David Zitzerman
David Richardson
Leola Purdy Foundation
Sandra Garossino
Tinu Mathur
Mark Busse
Ruth Hahn
Ring Five Impact Docs
Tatiana Nemchin
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Annette Frymer
John Dippong
Laura Plant
Leonard Schein
Liz Shorten
Loc Dao
Mark Busse
Sharon Farrish
Tinu Mathur
Tracey Friesen
PAST BOARD MEMBERS & ADVISORS
Al Etmanski
Bonnie Foley-Wong
Carol Biely
Gulnaaz Z. Lalji
Joel Solomon
Andrea Nemtim
