Jamie Oliver calls for compulsory food education in Canada

World-famous chef, cookbook author and TV personality Jamie Oliver says Canada’s biggest killer is "not guns, it's not armed robbery." It’s diet-related disease.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Oliver went on to say "Compulsory food education for every Canadian kid has not been promised, and that to me is immoral," and "It's time for the Canadian government to draw a line in the sand and say we need to support teachers. When kids come to school with no breakfasts ... when the food in lunch boxes is inappropriate, this is not helping teachers do their jobs."

Launching a global campaign this week, calling on G20 countries to combat childhood obesity by making food education mandatory in school, is just the latest in Oliver's efforts rallying for food education. Oliver has been campaigning for better food for years with initiatives like Food Revolution Day, which fights for food education for every child, and has joined with supermarket chain Sobeys "to bring better food to Canadians."

Canada is a place close to his heart. Oliver has said, "I'm always excited about spending time there, and whenever I visit, I always get an amazing welcome." Hopefully he'll experience that when he opens Jamie's Italian restaurant later this year at Yokdale Shopping Centre. Jamie's Italian is partnering with King Street Foods that also has Buca, The Saint Tavern and Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse in its roster.