(Kelly Crowe/ CBC News) — A rainbow of lively food illustrations hanging on the classroom wall — that’s how most Canadians remember Canada’s Food Guide.
But behind that brightly coloured document is a long history of political wrangling and industry lobbying — a tradition that continues today as Health Canada prepares to introduce a revised food guide sometime in the next few weeks.
The process has so far taken three years, with Health Canada hiring various market research companies to consult with more than 26,000 Canadians. Health Canada has also held briefing sessions with various health associations and industry groups.
It seems no detail in the new food guide is too small to be focus-grouped, including whether Canadians prefer a blue or green document and whether they would like to see illustrations or actual photographs of food. (…)