Scheer's fight over food guide flawed - 2019-07-26
Scheer's fight over food guide flawed July 26, 2019,
Surely, Mr. Scheer can't be surprised that he's being called out for kowtowing to industry. The new food guide — widely celebrated by nutrition experts for being evidence-based and free of outsized lobbyist influence — doesn't actually tell Canadians to avoid dairy or animal protein. It does recommend choosing plant-based protein "more often" and making water the drink of choice — two dietitian-backed guidelines.
Speaking of ideology, the comment essentially parrots the position of both the cattle and diary industries. Last December, prior to the January rollout of Health Canada's new Canada Food Guide, CBC quoted Alberta Milk chairman Tom Kootstra as saying Health Canada was prioritizing a plant-based diet for "ideological reasons."
"The process was flawed," Mr. Scheer said. "Complete lack of consultation. Seems to be ideologically driven by people who have a philosophical perspective and a bias against certain types of healthy food products."