Why Canada's in a food processing pickle
Notes de l’épisode
Canada is known around the world for high quality crops, but advocates estimate the country is missing out on a $25 billion industry by not processing more of that food at home. As the federal government gears up to invest more in domestic processing, guest host Matt Allen talks to soybean farmer Chris Hundt and pickle farmer Dan Froese about their vegetables being exported, only to be sold back to Canadians at a premium.
Then, Matt tours a first-of-its-kind soybean plant in Benmiller, Ontario with New Protein International’s Martin VanderLoo and Graham Markham to talk about their ambition to create high quality protein powder right here in Canada. Finally, Matt Allen sits down with Dragon’s Den’s Arlene Dickinson to discuss whether venture capitalists are afraid of putting their money where their mouth is by investing in Canada’s food industries.
Plus, Doug Ford has often praised Prime Minister Mark Carney, but after Ottawa quashed Ford's desired expansion of Toronto's Billy Bishop airport, the Ontario premier's MPPs are publicly questioning a project close to Carney's heart: Alto high-speed rail. Is this just turbulence between the two leaders, or are they at risk of a crash? Hill watchers Marieke Walsh from the Globe and Mail and Politico’s Nick Taylor-Vaisey join The House to discuss.
This episode features the voices of:
- Jamie Schmuck, owner of Forest City Crossfit
- Chris Hundt, soybean farmer
- Martin VanderLoo, CEO of New Protein International
- Graham Markham, chief development officer of New Protein International
- Dan Froese, pickle and pepper farmer
- Henry Voth, employee of Hartung Brothers
- Jamie Froese, pickle and pepper farmer
- Neil Reimer, district director on the board of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers
- Arlene Dickinson, founder of District Ventures Capital
- Nick Taylor-Vaisey, Ottawa bureau chief for Politico
- Marieke Walsh, senior reporter with The Globe & Mail