Wayne has had an illustrious career and is a visionary in the field of food policy. Here are a few examples of what some people are saying about Wayne and his work.
It has been a privilege to have you as a public health colleague for the past 10 years and to have been one of the Toronto Public Health beneficiaries of your wisdom, knowledge, and passion in the world of food. Oh…and I must add, your amazing sense of humour.
The Toronto Food Policy Council remains a model for other jurisdictions across North America, and is a testament to your vision and leadership. Your brilliant thinking, together with creative, yet practical approaches, helped us to think about food and health from multiple perspectives. Your understanding of the “convening power of food” situated our health promotion work with communities in a unique and transformative way. Wayne, you also played a pivotal role in moving our collective thinking to embracing a food systems approach, where environmental sustainability, economic development and social justice contribute to a health-focused food system.
As you embark on this next career phase, Wayne, I wish you health, happiness, and a sustained healthy appetite for great food and fine wine!
Carol Timmings,
Director, Policy and Planning, Toronto Public Health
I feel compelled to respond right away on Wayne’s alleged retirement. The urban food movement owes him a huge debt of gratitude because, of all the people doing inspiring work around the world, he has done more to raise the profile of urban food policy than anyone I know. Ever since we met at a breakfast table in Kingston, I’ve come to realise that Wayne embodies three things that play well in the world of food politics:
1. Intellectually, he totally understands the convening power of food. This means that people come to food politics from an infinite variety of backgrounds, especially from public health, social justice, ethnic, cultural and environmental backgrounds. In the nightmare world of postmodern politics, where diversity and difference are extolled over commonality and solidarity, the convening power of food can bring people together like nothing else;
2. Politically, he knows better than most people that good ideas are not enough, that they don’t sell themselves. He helped me to understand that every department in a city government needs to be part of the solution; otherwise it’s part of the problem. Every department has a food policy, it’s just that some practice it by design (and get values for money by celebrating its multiple benefits) while others practice it by default (and end up with the worst deal of all because low cost has been allowed to masquerade as best value). Wayne also embodied what I would call the new food politics: instead of advocating a new food dept in every city government, the old politics, he realised that it was much better to persuade existing depts to incorporate food in their plans because food could help them to meet their targets. In this way, every dept became an ambassador for food. The TFPC is an exemplary exponent of this way of thinking and doing and it is a tribute to Wayne and his colleagues, that it is now a beacon for food policy councils in North America and Europe;
3. Socially, he’s fun company. Drawing on a heady mix of passion and knowledge, his presentations are always leavened by humour, a quality that is often missing in mainstream politics (except when the hubris of our political leaders renders them inadvertently funny).
If these three qualities could be bottled it would make a potent potion that could be sold to city governments around the world. Wayne should consider this idea because, while he may be stepping down from the TFPC, I don’t believe retirement is in his DNA. Have a great party.
Warm wishes from Wales
KevKevin Morgan teaches City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University in Wales; he is the author of several books, including Local and Green, Global and Fair…. and The School Food Revolution…
Wayne possesses a natural curiosity for how people come together to solve life’s challenges and demonstrates a deep and genuine concern for building truly sustainable food systems - from the farmers that grow the food right through to the families sitting down to a meal. Wayne draws from examples from all over the world and from right in your community to create thought provoking and entertaining food presentations on what we are doing wrong, how we can start to get it right and best of all how solutions are not just doable but in many ways natural answers to many of our problems. Wayne is the type of speaker who will not just give you an hours information and entertainment but will leave you thinking for days.
Wayne rubs shoulders easily in a farm crowd and he loves to share in a laugh at himself and the occasional absurdity of our world. After hearing Wayne present folks are keen for a chance to sit down with him for a coffee or a beer and continue the conversation.
Don Mills, National Farmers Union , vice-presidentDon MillsWayne,
I’ve heard you speak many times now, but last night was far and away your best. Not only was your message thoughtful and full of years of observation, but your delivery was excellent.
Well done and thanks for coming to our hills.
Nicola Ross, Alternatives Journal
After many years of work with Wayne Roberts I can attest to the fact that he
is a true leader in the field of food – from policy and research, to
programs and partnerships. Wayne has been an author, a public speaker, a
facilitator, a convener, an advisor, and a mentor. Wayne is a great
listener, and deeply understand the importance of context is any situation.
Most recently Wayne was an expert advisor for an urban transportation
session we organized called “MOVE”. He served as a resource for a group of
young designers Evergreen, George Brown College Institute without Boundaries
and Metrolinx pulled together, and the group prepared a brilliant showpiece
on the future of food and transportation. He is a terrific resource for any
workshop and I’d recommend him to anyone putting on a strategy workshop.
Geoff Cape
Executive Director, Evergreen, Centre for Green Cities, 550 Bayview Avenue,
Toronto, ON, M4W 3X8 Phone: 416-596-1495 ext 229, Mobile: 416-560-3774
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