MONTREAL — Canada’s new Agriculture Minister has presented herself to farmers as a serious and dynamic person who is looking forward to tackling farmers’ issues.
“I’m here to listen, and I intend to deliver,” Marie-Claude Bibeau said at the Canadian Crops Convention March 7, her first official function as Agriculture Minister, after being appointed March 1.
“As Minister of Agriculture, my focus will be supporting a competitive agriculture industry in Canada that helps grow the economy, supports our rural communities and creates good middle-class jobs.”
In that commitment she does not break from former Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay’s or the Liberal government’s focus on boosting Canadian agriculture and food trade and on increasing value-added processing, which were also focuses of the previous Conservative government.
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Bibeau had to hit the ground running. Within days of being appointed, news broke that Richardson International had lost its approval to export canola to China due to an alleged pest-related quality concern.
“It was put on the top of my desk,” she said.
“This is a top priority for our government.”
Bibeau is from a farming family in Quebec’s Eastern Townships and previously held the portfolio of International Development minister.
With her former ministry and work as an international aid worker, Bibeau became familiar with the work of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, which she mentioned and praised at the convention.
“They are doing an amazing job engaging Canadian farmers to contribute in different ways to support the poorest countries in the world,” she said to reporters.
Bibeau is an enthusiastic supporter of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “feminist” agenda, and brought a feminist emphasis to International Development. She said the Foodgrains Bank has pioneered such efforts overseas.
“They are a really great partner,” said Bibeau.
“We have to find ways to empower women within all the sectors.”
Bibeau is Canada’s first female agriculture minister and hopes to be an example for girls and young women looking toward future careers.
“I’ve realized in recent years that it’s important for young adolescent girls and young women to have models that they can believe in their dreams, and that they must believe in their dreams, and it can happen when we work hard,” she said.
Contact ed.white@producer.com
