Latest News
Everything thats going on at Enfold is collected here
Hey there! We are Enfold and we make really beautiful and amazing stuff.
This can be used to describe what you do, how you do it, & who you do it for.
3 Things I’ve Learned as a Public Affairs Intern
Grassroots News, NewsMichelle is the Campaign Support Intern at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Toronto. Michelle can be contacted at michelle@grassrootspa.ca.
This spring, I began my new role as a Campaign Support Intern at Grassroots and fully immersed myself in all things relating to public affairs. To my surprise, I quickly discovered how this fast-paced and ever-changing industry can be both exciting and unexpected. Here are three things I’ve learned about the industry so far in my internship:
1. Stay informed on current events
As a public relations student, I learned the value of staying up to date on current affairs. I was encouraged to monitor and analyze the news and apply my findings to my academic work. This skill has become invaluable to the work I now do in my internship.
Amidst this period of rapid change, we see government move fast and make changes even quicker. Our role as public affairs professionals is to stay informed on these changes. In a matter of days, a government decision could change the course of any issue and impact the progress of an advocacy project.
The effectiveness of my work depends on my ability to stay informed and identify potential issues. I always like to start my day by monitoring the media for news or government announcements that can directly or indirectly affect existing client advocacy projects.
While this process may appear overwhelming with the abundance of news and content on social media, I’ve found that targeted filters and alerts help me identify the most relevant information. It can also be exciting because no one day is the same, and there’s always something new to learn.
2. Build strong relationships with your team and clients
A concern I had before starting my internship was how to build strong relationships while working remotely, but from the moment I started my internship, the Grassroots team has always supported me. Whether it’s during a meeting or our end-of-week social, they always check in on each other. Despite working remotely, they have created a supportive virtual environment and offered me constant mentorship.
Building strong relationships also extends to client relations. Taking the time to learn about an organization, its story, issues affecting them, and, importantly, how the Grassroots team can help, serves as the foundation for success. From the start to the end of a project, developing trust and confidence with the client directly impacts the work we deliver. Getting this right requires checking in regularly with the client, asking questions, receiving feedback, and maintaining consistent communication to achieve effective results.
3. Recognize news issues and why they are important
As public affairs professionals, our role is to understand issues affecting our clients and to communicate their importance. Whether you’re approached by an organization with an issue or discover an issue yourself, this is the first step to any advocacy project.
Through my internship, I have gained a deeper awareness of issues impacting a wide range of industries. Many organizations affected by these issues can greatly benefit by getting their voices heard at all levels of government. Advocacy plays an important role in raising government awareness on these issues and it pushes for solution-oriented action.
Before jumping right into an advocacy plan, I learned that it’s important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself: why this is an issue today? Why should the government listen? What are we asking government for, and will it improve the issue? It’s been a great experience to be a part of real change through meaningful advocacy and strategic government relations.
The transition from lectures to meetings and from textbooks to clients happened in the blink of an eye. Every opportunity I have had at Grassroots has continued to advance my learning and has given me a greater appreciation for the industry. There’s nothing quite like jumping into public affairs during a pandemic! I’m looking forward to continuing my career in the exciting and unexpected world of public affairs.
Summer News 2021
News, Grassroots NewsWhat If the Pandemic Hadn’t Happened? A Review of Liberal Promises
Author Chris Gray is a Sr. Consultant at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Ottawa. Chris can be contacted at chris@grassrootspa.ca.
On October 21st, 2019, the Liberals returned to government with a minority, dropping to 157 seats in the House of Commons. Under Leader Andrew Scheer, the Conservatives picked up most of the seats the Liberals lost. Just three months later, Canada and the world plunged into the COVID-19 pandemic, that we are only now starting to recover from. Prime Minister Trudeau’s new cabinet was sworn in on November 20th, 2019, and mandate letters were released December 13th. As the new year struck, the government began planning for the 2020 federal budget and March 30th was set for then Finance Minster Bill Morneau to deliver the Budget Speech in the House of Commons, laying out the Liberals spending priorities. But by mid-March, it was clear that the pandemic would have a major impact on the Canadian health care system and the economy. Many people started to work remotely, including Members of Parliament.
But what if the pandemic never happened?
Here’s my analysis on how the Liberal government is doing with their promises as we anticipate the next federal election. Let’s take a closer look at what the Liberals had in their platform and Ministerial mandate letters in 2019, what has been done in some key areas, and what has fallen off the radar.
Income taxes
During their election campaign, the Liberals pledged to raise the basic personal amount to $15,000 by 2023, for taxpayers whose annual income is less than $147,000.
Result: One of the first things the Liberals did when they were returned was introduce legislation to raise the basic personal amount to $15,000 by 2023. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has indicated that this move will cost the government $21B over five years, but the government touted that this will leave more money in the hands of Canadians to help stimulate the economy.
Corporate taxes
The Liberals said they would cut in half the corporate tax paid by companies that develop and manufacture zero-emissions technologies.
Result: To create jobs and support the growth of clean technology manufacturing in Canada, Budget 2021 reduced — by half — the general corporate and small business income tax rates for businesses that manufacture zero-emission technologies.
Affordable phone bills
The Liberals indicated they would reduce cell phone bills by 25% annually, in part by expanding entry of network operators.
Result: The Liberals have not succeeded with this one. Canada has the highest mobile-data fees of all G7 countries—by far. In May, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission reversed an old rate reduction, reinstating higher prices. The only people to benefit so far are shareholders.
Pharmacare
The Liberals committed to taking the critical next steps to implement National Pharmacare so that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need at an affordable price.
Result: The Liberals have not moved the ball much on this one. The advisory council called for a $15B universal single payer pharmacare plan, and council Chair, Dr. Eric Hoskins, stated that the national program would save $5B annually on drug costs. But the pandemic was a serious blow to the Liberals spending plans and pharmacare has basically been shelved.
Net zero emissions
In 2019 the Liberals committed to getting Canada to net-zero emissions by 2050, with legally binding five-year milestones.
Result: The government introduced and passed (on the last day Parliament was sitting), Bill C-12, the Canada Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. The goal of this legislation is to meet the objectives under the Paris Agreement and to reduce greenhouse gases in Canada. The Liberals had to do some political wrangling to get this bill passed but were able to get NDP support, while the Conservatives opposed it, as did the Green party, who said it didn’t go far enough.
Single-use plastics ban
The Liberals committed to taking steps to ban harmful single-use plastics. This builds on their existing ban on products with plastic microbeads, which threaten the health of our lakes, oceans, and wildlife.
Result: In 2020, the government announced a federal ban of single-use plastic products, with regulations to be finalized by the end of 2021. A key part of the plan focuses on items that are found in the environment, are often not recycled, and have readily available alternatives. Based on this criterion, the six items the Government proposes to ban are: plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, and food ware made from hard-to-recycle plastics. This ban is a step forward in the government’s goal to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030.
Conclusion
Overall, the Liberal government has done about as well as could be expected considering the pandemic health crisis. Providing support for Canadians and Canadian businesses since March 2020, the government coffers are seriously depleted with record breaking deficits that will take many years to replenish. The billions spent on COVID support programs took focus away from other government priorities, and rightly so.
As we head towards a likely fall election, with COVID seemingly subsiding, expect all parties to start making promises over the summer about how they would continue to help Canadians recover from the pandemic, should they form government. As for the Liberals, I anticipate they will continue looking at universal basic income, implement a National Pharmacare program, and take more responsibility for long-term care in Canada.
2017 vs. 2021 – Political & Economic Perspectives in Ontario
Author Peter Seemann is the Principal & Sr. Consultant at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Toronto. Peter can be contacted at peter@grassrootspa.ca.
After more than a year of tough times dealing with the pandemic, the Ford government at Queen’s Park is looking forward to a return to more normal conditions this fall. With the legislature finally rising for the summer months and the long-awaited cabinet shuffle on June 18th, the government is clearly looking ahead to next spring’s election. A year seems like a long time, but it’s a brief moment in politics, and history has shown that a lot can happen in 12 months. And a lot will undoubtedly happen before voters decide who gets their vote next spring.
Let’s go back the summer of 2017, one year before the last scheduled provincial election in 2018.
Four years ago this month, the former Liberal government led by Kathleen Wynne was entering its final year of the four-year mandate. The Liberals were approaching almost 14 years of consecutive leadership going back to the 2003 Dalton McGuinty win, and despite a series of controversies (remember gas plants, teacher union payments and e-health?) the Wynne Liberals were rebounding somewhat in the polls that summer. The increase in public support was partly attributed to the generous 2017 spring budget that included plans to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour and allocated billions of dollars towards important issues such as healthcare, affordable housing and infrastructure. Remarkably, after more than a decade of annual deficits the Liberals were even planning for a balanced budget. The PCs were led at the time by current Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who was doing everything he could to garner attention with his “People’s Guarantee” policy platform. Hard to believe at the time, that Mr. Brown’s leadership aspirations would blow up in such a monumental way 6 months later, and that the Tories would be forced into a leadership vote literally weeks before the election. Safe to say that in the summer of 2017, no one could have anticipated the political drama and election outcome that transpired.
Now, let’s look ahead.
Premier Ford and his PC government have governed through an incredibly challenging and difficult time during the last 15 months, and fallout from the pandemic is far from over. It is widely known that the government is aiming to enter the fall legislative session with a strong economic plan to lead them into 2022. Look for a detailed Fall Economic Statement by November that should provide insights on what the government will prioritize for next spring’s budget. With a forecasted deficit of over $38B this year and a current unemployment rate of 9.1% (50% higher than 2017), big expensive pre-election promises are not likely to be part of next spring’s budget. Instead, many factors that are out of the government’s control have the potential to greatly impact next year’s electoral prospects. There is a strong possibility Canadians will be voting in a federal election this fall. Ontario businesses and individuals alike could see an end to a range of federal pandemic subsidies that many people have grown accustomed to. While many are predicting a mini economic boom as people come out of COVID lockdowns, no one knows how long it may last and the one common thing incumbent governments fear the most going into an election, is an economic downturn.
Here are some quick predictions we believe everyone should be paying attention to:
4th Wave Could Kill Ford’s Chances for Re-Election
After three tiring lockdowns, Ontarians collectively are dealing with massive pandemic fatigue. All indications look positive in terms of our economy opening up in the coming weeks, yet some medical experts are still raising concern about a possible Delta variant 4th wave of infections. If this happens and the government is forced to once again lock things down and close schools, the Ford government may take a massive hit in popularity. Whether it’s their fault or not, Ontarians will look to blame someone, and the opposition parties will likely stand to benefit.
Expect More Priorities for Cities and Suburban Middle Class
When the Ford government won in 2018, they not only held on to their longstanding rural base, but they also won in many longstanding Liberal-held urban and suburban ridings. If the PCs have any hope of getting re-elected they need to hold on to the majority of these ridings and their importance was reflected in last week’s cabinet shuffle. All five ministers who were demoted came from rural ridings, while virtually all the promotions were given to MPPs from GTA area ridings that the Tories need to retain. Aside from an expanded profile in the more heavily populated regions of the province, look for policy and funding announcements to benefit people in these areas.
More Surprises Will Likely Impact 2021/22
Just like 4 years ago, some things will happen in the coming 12 months that none of us today can predict. Right now, we are all focused on overcoming the pandemic that has had such a massive impact on our economy and day-to-day lifestyle. Despite not knowing what a “return to normal” may look like, be prepared to expect the unexpected.
All of us at Grassroots will be watching how things unfold provincially with great interest. We hope you are able to take some time to enjoy the summer months and, like government, be ready to hit the ground running with your advocacy plans this September.
Leadership Communication Tidbits
Author Ray Pons is the Senior Communications Specialist at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Montreal. Ray can be contacted at ray@grassrootspa.ca.
Bite-sized insights to gain greater clarity and improved leverage, buy-in, when you speak.
In written words and spoken words there appears to be strong truth to the principle that small changes can make a big difference.
This posting will highlight a few examples to help you improve your communication effectiveness and communication execution – as a leader, an influencer – in your business activities as well as in your life.
You have no doubt experienced when a colleague or co-worker [peer, superior or subordinate] is flat-out having a bad day; a day when it is easy to see that something is just not right. At home it can be equally transparent. Anytime something is ‘wrong’ it is so darned easy to jump in with: ‘What’s wrong?’ or the more accusatory version: ‘What’s wrong with you?’ Notice how the addition of ‘with you’, just 2 little words, will heighten the tension.
Try this on for size: ‘What’s troubling you?’
Related add-on tidbit: a common ‘rule’ of lawyering is to avoid questions which you do not truly want answered.
‘Why are you angry?’ [frustrated, annoyed, bothered, bewildered, etc.]. Do you really want to know the root cause of the negative emotion?
We recommend you stay away from the path of ‘blaming’ – in the mind of the listener – by avoiding enquiry about the problem. Focus instead on the desired solution.
Try this on for size: ‘What will it take to make you happy?’ [calm, pleased, contented, clear-headed].
Finally: ‘Team meeting tomorrow – don’t be late!’
Try this on for size: ‘Team meeting tomorrow – please turn up on time.’
And throw in a benefit of some sort, an added bonus if you like, when they comply with what you expect: ‘And I commit to you that we will get right to it and finish on time.’ Or perhaps ‘That way you won’t miss the good news I’ll be sharing.’
Communication is simple. It is far from easy.
Look for the simple, small changes you can make, which will make a big difference to your effectiveness as a communicator, and a corresponding increase in your personal/professional image as an influential leader.
GRPA Team Updates
Author Lindsay Yaciuk is a Communications Specialist at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Toronto. Lindsay can be contacted at lindsay@grassrootspa.ca.
Notwithstanding all the changes and overall strangeness of living through a pandemic, 2021 has been an exciting year for Grassroots Public Affairs…
Congratulations Liz Gross!
Formerly known as our (amazing!) Campaign Support Specialist, Liz has been a valued member of the Grassroots team for the past three years and was recently promoted to the position of Research Associate. In this new role, Liz oversees the details of our client research projects and advises the team on scholarly communication and best practices.
This well-deserved shift in responsibilities aligns with Liz’s academic achievements, professional experience and natural talents – congratulations from the team!
Read Liz’s recent article about the foundational importance of research to effective government relations strategies.
Welcome Michelle Silva!
At a time when many businesses are suffering due to pandemic realities, Grassroots is grateful to be expanding the team – and thrilled to welcome Michelle!
A recent graduate of Humber College’s Public Relations Certificate Program, Michelle is turning theory into practice as our Campaign Support Intern, and since day one has been doing a terrific job.
Michelle’s professionalism and interest in strategic communications are a natural fit with Grassroots’ advocacy services – it’s great to have you with us Michelle!
#ICYMI
June 16th Webinar – Post-Pandemic Predictions
Special thanks to Paul Smetanin, president of the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA) who joined Grassroots for a webinar discussion of post-covid predictions, as they apply to mental health, working remotely, and latent financial distress.
Traditional socio-economic analysis tends to treat people as averages of groups, but CANCEA’s approach is unique in that it models people and firms as distinct individuals. All results shared were derived from updated 2020 simulations of actual client projects, and Paul’s intriguing findings included:
Watch the webinar recording:
The Grassroots Greenhouse 2021
Grassroots-Greenhouse-2021-Final-Report-compressedAs enthusiastic advocates for the Canadian Agri-Food sector, Grassroots Public Affairs released our third annual agriculture and food research public opinion poll in April.
Our approach for 2021 included COVID-19 pandemic-related food questions, as well as repeat questions from past years so we can measure any change in public opinion.
Key findings for this year’s research included:
The Greenhouse received media attention from local and national publications, including:
Special thanks to Food Banks Canada and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture for their participation.
Research: The Foundation of Successful Government Relations
News, Grassroots NewsLiz is the Research Associate at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in St. Catharines. Liz can be contacted at liz@grassrootspa.ca.
In summer 2019, I decided to transition from full- to part-time work at Grassroots to start graduate school at Western University. The choice to pursue a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree was a big step but not a difficult decision for me. That said, I did get some well-meaning questions from friends, family, and colleagues about why I thought this kind of education would be relevant.
The answer is research! Library and information science professionals are trained researchers and serve as key partners in the research process for academics and other professionals.
Although the image of brick-and-mortar libraries continues to dominate popular culture, the Internet has completely retooled the research and information-seeking environment, and information professionals are on the front lines. As a library student, I’ve taken classes in traditional cataloguing and classification but also courses addressing online information retrieval, web design and architecture, human-computer interaction, and database management systems so that I can support high-quality research in an increasingly digital context.
Regardless of the methodology involved, research offers the chance to identify, unpack, and build on ideas that are fresh and new (or, just new to me!). I don’t always come armed with expertise in the topic of interest, which means that I get to learn from, and collaborate with, people who are deeply engaged with their academic or professional field. There’s nothing more exciting than being the first to know about emerging innovation or new opportunities.
Importantly, research can involve wrestling with questions that are difficult, and getting really (really) comfortable with uncertainty. Similarly, studies and projects sometimes go “off the rails” and evolve in new and unexpected ways – and that’s okay! These moments give me a chance to stretch my mind by questioning the process, making changes, and reaching for new ideas or possibilities.
It goes without saying that the past fourteen months have been challenging. For me, one bright light came about at the end of last year when I took on the new role of Research Associate full-time at Grassroots. In this position, I work with our clients to identify, evaluate, and capitalize on opportunities to engage with government at all levels. While the idea of presenting my research was a bit anxiety-inducing at first, I’ve been fortunate to have the support of the Grassroots team – all of whom have helped me become a clearer and more confident communicator.
As Peter (our founder and principal) reminds us, a central goal of government relations work is to educate policymakers about innovative developments and potential policy solutions that could have a positive impact on public programming and quality of life for Canadians. Whether this work takes the form of a government program review to help advance an organization or industry goal, a sentiment analysis of media or consumer comments, or a scan of academic literature to ground a policy position, it has been a pleasure to see our clients build on comprehensive and authoritative information to develop their advocacy efforts.
While research initiatives may seem tedious and unnecessary to those who are embedded in professional communities (“why wouldn’t X politician see where we’re coming from?”), careful research is the foundation of successful advocacy – both in terms of strategy development and engagement. Research gives your advocacy substance, establishes your reputation as an ‘expert’ on the issue, provides you with evidence to support your case to government and the media, and can be used identify workable solutions to address your challenges.
All that’s to say – I look forward to completing my final master’s courses this summer and I can’t wait to find out which project will arrive next in my inbox. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about how research can strengthen your message to government.
“I Think”
Grassroots News, NewsRay is the Senior Communications Specialist at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Montreal. Ray can be contacted at ray@grassrootspa.ca.
Those seriously committed to being seen, being perceived, as a powerful and positive leader, a “leadership” communicator, must gain awareness of small yet significant communication blunders made far too often by far too many people.
To paraphrase the notable voice actor Stephen Morgan Zirnkilton, best known for his “Law and Order” series introductions:
“In the criminal communication system, miscommunication gaffes by those in prominent leadership positions are considered most heinous; these are their stories.”
Well … I think they are … 😊.
Throughout this COVID pandemic, you may have noticed one of the most egregious communication mistakes in newscasts and major media, without fully realizing that you have indeed noticed it.
According to various scientific experts on communication and mindset, judgements you make of others will most frequently be made in your sub-conscious mind. People make sub-conscious decisions on other people and their habits, or perhaps more accurately expressed as because of their habits, without much conscious awareness that those sub-conscious judgements are happening.
And it is my assessment that the more prevalent the habit is displayed, broadcasted, and disseminated, especially by those in prominent positions, the more you hear it repeated, the less noticeable it becomes and the more it will be accepted, imitated, and integrated into general communication culture.
One such habit is saying “I think.”
Consider the following statement from recent events:
“I think the execution of search warrants is an extraordinary action for prosecutors to take against a lawyer, let alone a lawyer of a former president.”
Compared to:
“The execution of search warrants is an extraordinary action for prosecutors to take against a lawyer, let alone a lawyer of a former president.”
In the latter, the small removal of “I think” results in a sizeable increase in assertiveness, strength of message and authority of the messenger.
Another example from a personal life experience:
Some years ago, my wife and I were visiting one of her close friends who asked her: “Are you coming to Jocelyne’s baby shower next weekend?” The response, enthusiastically said, was: “I think so.” A pause. “Well, are you coming … or aren’t you?” “Yes Julie … I think I can make it.” Another pause, which was now causing me, as a coach of communication skills, an advocate for kaizen [continuous Improvement] and concerned husband wanting to avoid any unpleasantry between friends, to advance from mild concern to worry.
The conversation deteriorated as tensions rose. “Why wouldn’t you come? I can’t believe you! She’s like a daughter to you” after which … well … ‘the wheels came off’ comes to mind.
When people are told “I think” what they really hear is “I’m not sure.” Julie was looking for a strong “Yes, of course” not a “maybe.”
Listen for “I think” on the news, in interviews, online, in conversations at home, discussions at work. When you really listen for it you will catch it being said just about everywhere! By politicians, world leaders, sports commentators, podcasters, authority figures on all sorts of diverse topics.
And when you do listen for and hear the many “I thinks” in the public domain, you may also catch times you yourself are saying it and, therefore, be able to adjust. Small change – big difference.
The good news is that you will also notice, and be impressed by, those communicators who never, ever, say it! And that heightened awareness must surely allow you to become one of them.
Be one of those who never utters “I think” and replace it with more positive vocabulary: “I know, I believe, I am sure, I am convinced, I am certain.”
For comparison:
Or consider just leaving it out:
Elevate your communication power, your assertiveness, your professional image as a leader, and your personal reputation at the sub-conscious level of your listeners, by breaking the habit of saying “I think.”
To “think” often – as an action, a habit, a forethought to making strong, strategic choices – is a practice of great leaders and a custom of respected leadership.
To say “I think” is not.
To your success!
“First we eat, then we do everything else.”
News, Grassroots NewsEveryone needs to eat. But not everyone understands the complexities of producing the myriad of food options available to Canadians.
Our food comes from farms – Canadian farms, and faraway farms in distant lands. I’ve learned that spending time on a farm provides a much deeper understanding of where our food choices come from, how they are created, and by whom.
The latest Grassroots Greenhouse poll just confirmed that 70% of Canadians have never visited an operational farm:
Until recently, that number included me.
When I joined Grassroots Public Affairs in 2018, I started learning about issues impacting the Canadian agri-food industry, and visited various farm operations – fruits & vegetables, livestock, grains. All of them were fascinating in terms of scope, on-farm activities, and day-to-day management. I was repeatedly amazed by the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and block chain. Until I witnessed it first-hand, I had no idea that a career in agriculture could be so interesting, innovative and important.
I suppose it shouldn’t come as too big a surprise that only 30% of Canadians have visited a farm, considering the vast majority of us live in cities, where opportunities to engage agriculture and food production are simply not as accessible as in rural settings.
Let me ask, have you ever really thought about where your food comes from – before it lands in the grocery store, or on a restaurant plate?
Think of travel for a moment (remember travel?…). After you visit a different place and experience different activities within a different culture, you feel a much stronger sense of understanding and connection to that place, and the lifestyle there, because you experienced it first-hand.
To experience food-production first-hand is to gain a meaningful appreciation for parts of Canada’s “farm-to-fork” supply chain, a critical network we now know is complex, and fragile.
Since COVID started, it seems every time I grocery shop there’s a shortage of something I need – items previously found in abundance are missing from the shelves, “expected next week”.
Without question, food prices are going up.
I once read some great advice, “Never ignore the writing on the wall…”
Living through a pandemic has taught me to appreciate many things, including the value of food. It’s the foundation for everything else we do – as individuals and families, as a country, as a world, and as a species.
In the interest of greater appreciation for Canadian food, and as part of the 30% of Canadians who have visited a farm – I highly encourage it!
Granted, due to COVID now may not be the time, but in due course consider adding ‘farm tour’ to the proverbial bucket list. Touring a modern farm is to witness the human ingenuity of age-old farming techniques, combined with the advanced technologies of the 21st century. Touring a farm is to experience food production first-hand.
While there may be a disconnect between food-production and the average grocery shopper, the 2021 Grassroots Greenhouse poll found the majority of Canadians (86%) endorse increased government support for the agriculture and agri-food sectors:
Good timing. Earlier this week, it was reassuring to see federal budget support for Canadian food producers. Representing hundreds of thousands of farm families across the country, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture was pleased with several key announcements in this week’s budget, outlined in their subsequent News Release.
Investing in domestic food production certainly feels right, given the events of the past year, and the uncertainty of the future.
As Canadians, we mustn’t take our food for granted – 100% of us need it, to “do everything else...”
Lindsay Yaciuk, Grassroots Communications
(PS: If you’re interested in Canadian agri-food, like we are at Grassroots Public Affairs, join us Wednesday April 28th for a complimentary: Presentation of Findings from the 2021 Grassroots Greenhouse National Agriculture Poll – register here)
Canada’s Agriculture & Food Sectors Continue to be Widely Supported by the Majority of Canadians from Coast to Coast
News, Grassroots NewsTORONTO, ON – April 13, 2021 – The third annual national Agri-Food public opinion poll by Grassroots Public Affairs finds that Canadians continue to maintain very positive views about the current and future state of agriculture and food in Canada.
In partnership with clients and other industry associations, Grassroots’s online survey measured attitudes, direction, and intensity of public opinion on a range of issues and policies affecting the domestic Agri-Food sector.
Some of the more interesting survey findings include:
New questions for the 2021 poll gathered public opinion about:
Grassroots Public Affairs continues to believe strongly in the growth potential in Canada’s domestic food system. We will be releasing more detailed findings including demographic breakdowns on a variety of questions in the coming weeks.
View the 2021 survey results.
Methodology and Sample Size
The Canada-wide survey was conducted via an online panel of 1,001 Canadians 18+. Fieldwork for the survey took place between March 23rd to March 30th, and the survey was available in English and French.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Lindsay Yaciuk
Communications, Grassroots Public Affairs
lindsay@grassrootspa.ca
905-715-2788