How to Eat on The Canadian Campaign Trail

When I speak to Karl Bélanger, he is on the campaign bus headed to Stanfield International Airport, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It's the last leg of the longest election campaign in modern Canadian history, and his party has been slipping recently in the polls.

But Karl and I aren't going to talk about polls or politics—we're going to talk about food. That's because Bélanger, an NDP spokesperson, also writes—in meticulous detail—about the food that he eats while crisscrossing the country as a member of party leader Thomas Mulcair's inner circle.

In doing so, Bélanger gets to write about the often bland but sometimes brilliant food that he eats during his grueling campaign schedule. Bélanger's blog gives readers a rare look into hectic lives of political staffers and offers some good advice about staying healthy and hydrated on the road.

MUNCHIES: Why is your blog called The Waffle? Karl Bélanger: It's a bit of a wink to the past. The Waffle was a movement within the NDP in the 60s and 70s that represented the far left of the party. And when I came up with the blog, I needed a name that was both political and food-related. So I named it the The Waffle. Apparently, Mel Watkins, one of the founders of the Waffle movement, is a big fan of the blog.

How many campaigns have you worked on? I've been with the NDP since 2000. This is my sixth federal campaign, and I did one provincial. It's my seventh leader's tour, so I've seen it all. I've been to a lot of places, and the quality of the food varies a lot. But you also get to eat all of Canada's national foods, which is great.

Why did you start this blog about eating during election campaigns? Ever since I started the blog in 2008, I've been telling the tale of what is being eaten while I am touring the country. The blog is about what it's like to be on the campaign tour, and offers a glimpse into my travels to all of these different places.

It must be pretty cool to eat all of the national dishes of Canada in such a (relatively) short stretch? You go to different communities, and you try local specialties, it's a lot of fun. We were in Montreal just last week, and stopped at Schwartz and grabbed a smoked meat sandwich.

How did you like the food in Northern Canada? We were just in Iqaluit and I had the chance to try some Maktaaq, which is the outer layer of whale skin and blubber. Flavour-wise it's interesting, it's a little fishy. But the texture is very rubbery. It's very unusual because it's not tender like fish. You really have to chew on it. We also had smoked arctic char which was fantastic.

What are some of the standout dishes from other parts of the country? We were in Saskatoon and the plane crew loaded up some bison ravioli—that was interesting and fun. In the Maritimes, seafood is obviously a must—cold lobster and shrimp are my favourites. And in British Columbia, there's nothing like salmon cooked on cedar planks.

Besides Canada's amazing national dishes, what are the day-to-day offerings like? It varies. You eat a lot of the same things over and over. For breakfast, for instance, it's usually the same scrambled eggs from a big container with bacon, sausages, and potatoes. There's usually fruits available and yogurt too. For lunch, during this tour, there's been a lot of wraps and sandwiches. They're quick to eat and easy to carry around. We get chicken a lot on tour, and usually a couple of salad options.

Is it hard to eat healthy on the road? You try to eat well. You eat when you can, you eat quickly, but in terms of the fatty food, it's all about choices. Generally, if you want to eat healthy, you're able too. We don't eat a lot of fried foods. The meals are usually served buffet-style for the entire team and the journalists who are following, so you don't get a lot of choices for what you're going to eat. You eat when you can, because you never when your next chance will be! It's pretty crazy, it's pretty busy. You're going through different time zones through the country. When food is served you have to seize that opportunity and eat!

Is there a lot of drinking going on on the road? Once in a while you have a drink. But the single most important thing during a campaign is to drink lots of water. You are very often in a conditioned environment; from the plane to the bus to the hotel room, you have to stay hydrated. But of course, sometimes at the end of the day you enjoy a pint or a glass of wine with dinner.

Any guilty pleasures? I love chicken wings—but I try not to indulge too often!

Travelling on the NDP plane must be great. That's how Led Zeppelin got around when they were on tour. What's that like? Now that we have our own plane, we have special catering, not the usual pre-cooked airplane meals that we are used to on regular flights. They try to have a few more options on the flight.

Bus and airplane rides can get pretty bumpy, do you eat accordingly? Sometimes you get a meal in a box on the bus, it works well but sometimes it's harder. Like the other day, we had a salad with beets. Try to eat beet salad on the bus, it's a little complicated and risky for your shirt!

So in a campaign this gruelling, food is basically fuel for you? Fuel is a good word. Folks are tired, and when you're tired you need energy, so you try to eat well. But that's one of the most important things that I learned from experience. There are always snacks available on the bus, like chips, and chocolate bars, stuff like that. But I'm not touching that. But it's definitely there for those who want to make that choice.

On your site, you call yourself a "pragmatic foodie." What do you mean by that? It's because I don't take myself seriously. I will write about anything—from the new burger of a fast food chain to a ‎family restaurant or a classic steakhouse. Some people call me a "foodie," but for me it's just a hobby. I do it because I enjoy food. I also make recipes and product reviews on my blog. I once did a comparison test of the new Lay's flavours, just my own little review of those products. It's just a hobby. It entertains me, I have regular readers. I enjoy sharing, eating, and experimenting with my own cooking.

So your job basically allows you to combine your love for food with your love for Canada? That's what it's all about, enjoying all of the diversity of offerings from different regions in Canada.

Thanks for speaking with us.