Among Canadians, prairie residents are the most generous in donating to charities, according to an analysis of charitable giving conducted by the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute. Manitobans are the most generous, followed by Saskatchewan and Alberta residents, according to the December report. Quebec residents are the least generous to charities among provinces, although residents of Northwest […] Read more
Stories by Barry Wilson
CFIA president missed public relations opportunity when saying no to interview
By any measure, 2013 was a momentous year for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the new year looks no different. It got a new president in August — former Ontario deputy agriculture minister Bruce Archibald. In the autumn, it got a new minister — health minister Rona Ambrose — and became part of Health […] Read more
Buckingham reappointed chair of Canadian Agricultural Review Tribunal
Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz is reappointing Lloydminster, Sask., native Donald Buckingham to a second term as chair of the Canadian Agricultural Review Tribunal. The experienced lawyer raised in Ritz’s northwestern Saskatchewan riding was first appointed chair of the tribunal in 2009 by the minister. His new three-year term begins March 31. Buckingham has worked as […] Read more
Milk price increases; restaurants see red
The Canadian Dairy Commission has awarded dairy farmers a one percent increase in industrial milk price supports for 2014, triggering a fierce reaction from the restaurant lobby. “Dairy prices in Canada have historically outpaced both the consumer price index and the farmer’s own cost of production,” the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association said in reaction […] Read more
Court rejects most of CWB class action suit
If a Federal Court judgment holds, a $17 billion class action suit against Ottawa over ending the CWB monopoly would be reduced to a potential claim worth a fraction of that. As CWB supporters consider an appeal, a Federal Court of Canada judge has rejected most of their arguments. A lawyer for Friends of the […] Read more
Agricultural bill causes early stir in Ottawa
Opposition MPs are promising a vigorous debate in Parliament next winter when the government brings its new omnibus agriculture reform bill forward for debate. Although Bill C-18 proposes to amend advance payments regulations, farm debt mediation and rules for fertilizer and feed plant licensing, the most contentious issue of debate will be proposals to strengthen […] Read more
Hugh Segal captures spirit of gracious politician when he retires from Senate
This being the season of goodwill, celebration, forgiveness and all, let’s end the year with a good news Senate story. Really. Conservative senator Hugh Segal has announced he will resign from the Senate next summer, less than nine years into his appointment and 12 years before he would have been forced to retire at age […] Read more
Former NDP MP joins Green party
And then there were two. Green party leader Elizabeth May has seen her caucus-of-one doubled as she welcomed former northwestern Ontario New Democrat MP Bruce Hyer to sit with her as a Green MP in mid-December. The former Thunder Bay forestry and tourism consultant and entrepreneur was first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2011. […] Read more
Deal ignores hungry, say protesters
Trade | Bali package accused of not supporting small farmers in developing countries
BALI, Indonesia — It was a last-ditch effort to let the world know that not everyone thought the World Trade Organization deal on a limited “Bali package” was worth applauding. Posters were distributed throughout the pressroom in the Bali convention centre Dec. 6 that featured a red line through the words “WTO” followed by an […] Read more
WTO reaches deal
BALI, Indonesia — With a hard-won breakthrough in negotiations last week during a World Trade Organization ministerial meeting, trade officials are now planning an aggressive push to resolve other unfinished trade business. WTO officials have been told to develop a “work plan” during the next year that will outline how to tackle the myriad issues […] Read more
