Barry Wilson

OTTAWA – The government is coming under increasing political pressure to trim the Pest Management Regulatory Agency down to a size farmers can more easily digest. For months, the farm lobby has been complaining the PMRA plan to collect $16.5 million in cost-recovery fees from the industry is out of line. In recent weeks, farmers […] Read more

OTTAWA – The government is planning to rig the barley plebiscite by asking farmers a “dishonest” question,” Reform Party MPs charged last week. In the first week of parliamentary battle over the government’s proposed changes to the Canadian Wheat Board, Reform took aim at the question to be asked. They insisted farmers be offered a […] Read more

OTTAWA – Government officials are considering a request to allow import of genetically altered pigs that hold promise for future human organ transplants. A senior university research official predicts a day not far in the future when “smart packages” on food products will be able to tell consumers the level of disease-causing bacteria in products […] Read more

OTTAWA – The government’s plan to change farm debt review boards into a mediation service faced more criticism last week from MPs who fear it will be less effective than existing programs. MPs from all parties complained it will offer too little help to farmers heading for financial problems. The new farm debt mediation act […] Read more

OTTAWA – As Parliament gets ready to begin debate on plans for a new national food inspection system, a senior federal bureaucrat has assured the food industry that Ottawa is not planning to loosen its control. “It is significant … to note that throughout this whole process of re-organizing food inspection and quarantine services, neither […] Read more

OTTAWA – The House of Commons last week gave approval in principle to legislation to allow the private operation of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the country’s ports. Transfer of the seaway to a coalition of users, including shippers and carriers, could happen as early as Jan. 1. An agreement-in-principle has been signed with a […] Read more

OTTAWA – Canada’s environment minister last week predicted Canadian farmers and rural landowners will happily embrace a newly signed federal-provincial deal on protecting endangered species. “There is a real bedrock support for doing the right thing,” federal environment minister Sergio Marchi said. “This is one issue where the people are ahead of the politicians and […] Read more

OTTAWA – The House of Commons agriculture committee last week approved the details of government plans to revamp the farm cash advance program, to take effect next year. The legislation will go back to the Commons Oct. 21 for a final debate and likely approval of the new rules this autumn. The bill will set […] Read more

OTTAWA – The Liberal government has ordered Canada Post to improve service in rural Canada. And it is promising to extend indefinitely the two-year-old moratorium on rural post office closings. Public works minister Diane Marleau, minister responsible for Canada Post, told an Oct. 8 news conference she has instructed Canada Post chair AndrŽ Ouellet to […] Read more