1
Institute News It is nice to know that our Institute is in such good shape. It IlIust be if we believe in the old adage "no news is good news". Try as I will, it is al!U0st inlpossible to news. of the gen- ral affairs of the Institute and of the actIvltIes of ltS members. The Council have thought it to be a useful and desirable func- tion of the Journal to carry a column with such general and rsonal inf.ormation. If you, as a member, do not agree, you ;hould so inform your National Director, and if all should be of the same opinion, the project should be dropped. However, I am inclined to believe that the individual mem- bers do like to see such a column in their own Journal and that the lack of active support is merely a sign of the times. More often than ever before, are more and more people saying "Let George do it". That is why our society is becoming more and more permissive. Fewer and fewer people have the "guts" to take a stand. However, this is not the right place to indulge in a philsophical essay on morality. In any event, all our members are intelligent people and perhaps sufficient has been given to create a soliloquizing attitude, which may lead to a better flow of information. Limited news has been received from only two Sections: The Atlantic and Manitoba Sections. The Atlantic Section is very happy over the transfer of Dr. Graham Bligh of the Federal Fisheries Research Board, from the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg to the position of Director of tile Halifax Laboratories. They have a good eye to the future and recognizing Dr. Bligh's many talents, they have already drafted him to be the Chairman of the 1975 C.I.F.S.T. National Conference, which is to be held in Halifax in that year. Congratulations to Paul Dean, who has taken a responsible post with Oxford Frozen Foods of Cumberland County. Also to fonner Section Chairman, Bill McLennan, who has been made Vice-President-Marketing for Twin Cities Dairies in Halifax. The Atlantic Section as a whole are to be highly commended on the plans they have developed for their own Annual Meeting. They hope to stimulate some good publicity by arranging for the News Media to join with them in hearing a talk from Dr. D. G. Chap- man, Director of the Food' Advisory Bureau of the Dept. of National Health and Welfare. The subject of the address is "Food Facts and the Media". The Manitoba Section has had a good Season under the Chairmanship of Ruth Diamant and able assistance of John Mul- ler, the Programme Chairman. Water is a most important item in every phase of the Food Industry. Thus, a most enlightening talk on the source, treabnent, quality, distribution and future of Winnipeg's Water Supply was very acceptable. Cleaning, Sanita- tion, Fermentation, and Packaging all provided excellent material for other sessions. As usual, the Annual Banquet was one of the best parties in the season. The Dept. of Food Science of the University of Manitoba is to be congratulated on the interest they have aroused in their students, as has been demonstrated throughout the year by their (i.e. the Students) attendance at the Section Meetings. Necrology A. William Lantz, the third recipient of the W. J. Eva Award, died in B.C. on February 10, 1972. Bill Lantz, a very active member of the Manitoba Section until his retirement in 1971, had an outstanding career in Food Technology. For seven years he was connected with the Meat Packing Industry, then in 1944, when he joined the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, he direct- ed his attention to Fish. His activties in this field were so wide and so innovative that he has been caiJed "The Father of Fresh- water Fisheries Technology" in Canada. His fame is not, however, limited to Canada, he is known as an authority on Freshwater Fisheries Technology throughout the World. His international reputation was considerably enhanced during the years 1953 to 1956, when he was the Director of a Colombo Plan Project in Ceylon. This was a Canadian Project, wherein he successfully introduced modem fishing and processing methods and directed the construction of a harbour and a modem fish storage and processing plant. Bill Lantz was not only a brilliant scientist, he a very friendly man, full of c0!Upassion and understanding. JIlS greatest memorial will be found in the minds of the many friends he had throughout the World. Bill Lantz lived respected and died regretted. Can. Inst. Food SeL Teehnol. J. Vol. 5, No. 2, 1972 Food Science and Technology and Science Policy in Canada Members of the CIFST will be interested in the text of a letter sent by Past-President R. B. Marshall to the Hon. Alistair Gillespie, Minister of State for Science and Technology regarding the role of food scientists and technologists in the development of a Canadian science policy. Dear Mr. G'illespie: You have asked for letters with comments about Science and Technology in Canada and I would like to write on behalf of the Institute of Food Science and Technology. Realizing the im- portance of Canada's emphasis on agriculture, one of our major resources, and knowing the part that food science and technology can play in the full utilization of this important resource, we would respectfully like to call your attention to this segment of Canada's science population. CIFST has a membership of about 1600 members from all parts of Canada and represents industry, universities, and govern- ment services. We have thirteen regional sections across Canada from British Columbia to the Atlantic Provinces and hold an annual conference. These are held in a major Canadian city and the full membership is invited to get together for the con- sideration of science subjects and technical papers. We have our headquarters at 46 Elgin Street, Ottawa, the CIFST Manager is Mr. Owen Grant and our Secretary is Mr. A. H. M. Greene, Department of Supply and Services, ESPB 141 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa, 4, Onto I am sure Mr. Grant or Mr. Greene would be most happy to furnish any facts or figures regarding our or- ganization at your request. One of the matters of concern is the fact that according to the Science Council Report 15, page 14, the food and beverage industries in Canada have more employees (229,940) than any other single segment of the economy, yet as far as I am aware, we have no representation on the Science Council. It was re- ported in 1968 that the value of processed foods in Canada was 2.65 billion dollars which is about 60% of farm cash receipts. In total, agricultural production and food processing, which are closely allied, amount to 7 billion dollars; while the total econo- mic impact of the food industry including Agribusiness, food service, retailing, etc. amounts to more than 12 billion dollars. This is no small contribution to Canada's G.N.P. I am also taking the liberty of including reports prepared by Dr. Douglas P. Ormrod of our organization and in conjunction with the Canada Department of Industry, entitled "Food Science and Technology Education in Canada - Present Status and Future Prospects" and a "Survey c,f Food Technologists in Canada" also prepared by Dr. Ormrod and the Canada Department of Industry. There is also a small pamphlet about Food Science and Tech- nology Education in Canada. We hope these will be of interest to you. As a personal comment, I have listened with interest to your approach to science in Canada as presented to the two C.M.A. R & D sessions and at the SCITEC meeting recently held in Ottawa. Like you, I favour the ad hoc approach with a com- mittee to get the job at hand completed and then on to the next problem with another qualified committee. The idea of including members from industry for short periods on your staff should be of twofold benefit. It would give an insight into government problems to the industrial representatives and would contribute industry experience to the resolution of science problems. My purpose in writing to you is threefold. In the first place, we would like to bring to your attention the fact that a Food Science and Technology group is in existence in Canada and has been for nearly twenty-five years. In the second place, we would like to emphasize that food processing and the need for food scientists and technologists is a matter of major importance to our Canadian economy. In the third place, members of CIFST would consider it a privilege and pleasure to work with you in developing food science and technology to be an even more vital force in the promotion and growth of this important segment of Canada's economy. Yours very truly, R. B. Marshall, Past President, CIFST. A31
