Joshna Maharaj
While passionate about a wide variety of grassroots food causes, Joshna Maharaj is perhaps best known for her work in shifting GTA hospitals away from prepackaged meals and toward fresh ingredients. In 2016 she was nominated for the Basque Culinary World Prize.
Michael Stadtlander
A visionary of the farm-to-table movement, Michael Stadtlander was advocating for locavore cuisine decades before it became mainstream. After gaining fame as co-founder of the now-iconic Toronto restaurant, Scaramouche, Stadtlander later made the move to a 100-acre farm on the Niagara escarpment. In addition to hosting acclaimed dinner experiences at Eigensinn Farm, Stadtlander founded the Canadian Chefs’ Congress with the goal of fostering connections between chefs and farmers, and he’s also a Member of the Order of Canada.
Wayne Roberts
Over his impressive 54 years in activism, Wayne Roberts has fought for countless causes. Currently he is a speaker on food security and is manager of the Toronto Food Policy Council, which helps the city develop a health-oriented food agenda.
Anita Stewart
In her efforts to spread awareness of Canada’s agricultural bounty and its homegrown culinary talent, Anita Stewart has been second to none. She is the founder of Food Day Canada, an annual celebration of the nation’s food culture. She was named into the Order of Canada in 2012, and she is the author of numerous books, including Canada: the Food, the Recipes, the Stories. She is also a co-creator of University of Guelph’s Good Food Innovation Awards, which recognize inventive approaches to food.
Michael Schmidt
A true civil disobedient, Michael Schmidt has been a longtime advocate for the freedom to sell raw milk. Schmidt is a devout believer in the health benefits of unpasteurized dairy, and he feels the government is hypocritical in allowing the sale of cancer-causing products such as tobacco while banning the sale of raw milk. In standing up to put a limit on what the government says we are permitted to put into our bodies, he has gone on hunger strike, faced hefty fines and risked jail time.
Nick Saul
Since its inception in 2012, Community Food Centres Canada has been more than just a food bank. In addition to providing access to quality food for those in need, these centres are also hubs in which people learn how to cook, garden and make healthy food choices. Under the guidance of co-founder Nick Saul – who witnessed food insecurity first-hand as a child – CFCC has expanded to Winnipeg, Calgary and beyond. Saul is a Jane Jacobs Prize winner and is a frequent speaker on issues of social justice.
