Lobbying can be a repetitive and tiresome job, both in Ottawa and in Washington. Sometimes it can feel like your message is just not getting through to the government like you need it to. Such is the case, it can be said, regarding U.S. agriculture groups pressing its government on the benefits of NAFTA and trade… Read More
Category: Canadian Agriculture Policy
Canada is losing farmland each day. It’s not technically disappearing, mind you, it’s being bought up, levelled, and paved over for new suburbs and shopping malls. It’s also being speculated on, sometimes by surprising buyers — maybe it’s local farmers, but more likely by an investment fund looking to cash in on the seemingly endless… Read More
After a two-week break for MPs, the House of Commons agriculture committee reconvened for an emergency meeting to discuss the grain backlog in Western Canada on Monday. The meeting included presentations from both CN and CP Rail, as well as witnesses representing almost a dozen farm groups and grain shipping companies (see list below). Former… Read More
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay visited a dairy farm near St-Eugene, Ontario on Monday morning to announce $25 million for the “Agricultural Clean Technology Program.” “This investment will help Canadian farmers stay on the cutting edge of clean technology by targeting developments in bioproducts and precision agriculture,” said the minister. “Our government has made both… Read More
This has been a very challenging winter for grain shipments, to say the least. Much of the finger pointing has been directed at the railways but should more of the blame fall to more than CN and CP? It’s clear operational performance must improve, but the railways have been operating in the environment that they… Read More
Farm groups in Alberta are applauding the provincial government’s effort to advance oil pipelines, thereby taking pressure off the rail freight system. “Team Alberta” sent a letter to Premier Rachel Notley this week expressing support for the Trans Mountain pipeline and other crude oil pipelines. The Trans Mountain line was approved by the federal government… Read More
The Manitoba government says it’s going to give the revenue from the federally-mandated carbon tax back to Manitobans through tax reductions elsewhere. Several farm groups questioned how agriculture will be impacted by the carbon plan following the release of the provincial budget on Monday by Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen. “Farmers don’t have the option… Read More
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture held its annual general meeting recently at Ottawa, where farmers from across the country brought forward no fewer than 45 resolutions. From lobbying efforts surrounding the carbon economy and recognizing farmers’ good work on carbon sequestration, to sorting out the current railway backlog, and on to holding firm on supply… Read More
This is an open letter to Doug Ford, newly elected leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party, with the assumption that he becomes the next premier of Ontario. It actually doesn’t matter if he wins or not, of course. The wants and needs of rural Ontario remain the same, and must be addressed by the next… Read More
We were warned early on by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland that the NAFTA talks would be rocky. She was right. We are through seven rounds and more clouds hang over the talks than ever. With a Mexican election on July 1, and the fall U.S. midterms surely pushing talks into 2019, the U.S. President… Read More