A former diplomat says a high-level delegation from Canada could cause China to become more entrenched in its position
A political science professor and former counsellor at the Canadian embassy in China says it could be years before Canada reclaims its place in the Chinese canola market. Charles Burton from Brock University said there are too many unstable factors to be able to predict a quick resolution to the situation. “At the present time, […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Irrigation asset transfer completed in Sask.
The contentious initiative moves about 90 percent of irrigation assets previously owned by the province into the hands of district irrigators
The Saskatchewan government and four irrigation districts have completed asset transfers and agreed to infrastructure funding arrangements. The deal moves about 90 percent of provincial irrigation assets into the hands of the district irrigators, said deputy agriculture minister Rick Burton. The transfer has been contentious at times because irrigators said they didn’t want assets that […] Read more
Environment drove switch to solar
GRANDORA, Sask. — Tucked away in a woody 80 acres west of Saskatoon, Joe and Sheila Schmutz knew they wanted to add solar panels to their landscape. In addition to their bungalow where they have lived since 1983, they have a shop and kennels where they raise Large Munsterlander hunting dogs. All the buildings rely […] Read more
Regina rally protests the carbon tax
More than 800 vehicles converged on Regina’s Evraz Place today to protest the federal carbon tax. Farmers, oilfield workers, small business owners and many others, most from Saskatchewan but some from other provinces, were among more than 1,000 people who came to the city, horns blaring, to hear from organizers and conservative politicians who want […] Read more
Ag committee to meet on canola next week
The House of Commons agriculture committee will hear from witnesses on the China-Canada canola issue no later than April 5. At an emergency meeting today, the Liberal majority blocked an attempt by opposition members to have the agriculture and international trade ministers appear, saying they were already going to be before the international trade committee […] Read more
Compensation kept for supply management
Federal budget promises $3.9 billion to dairy, egg and poultry farmers, down from $4.3 billion previous government offered
The federal Liberals appear to have picked up where the previous Conservative government left off when it comes to compensating supply managed farmers for trade agreements. The March 19 federal budget promised $3.9 billion to dairy, egg and poultry farmers, four years after the Stephen Harper government offered $4.3 billion. Details on how the money […] Read more
No-surprise budget pleases Sask. farm groups
Budget increases agriculture ministry spending by three percent and assumes crop production will be similar to last year
Saskatchewan Finance Minister Donna Harpauer says crop failure is one of her biggest concerns in revealing a provincial budget with a slim surplus. The minister released the 2019-20 budget March 20. It contains a $34.4 million surplus on revenues of $15.03 billion and expenses of $14.99 billion. “If we had a province wide or even […] Read more
Cardlock fuel wins carbon tax exemption
Farm fuel purchased at cardlocks will be exempt from the federal carbon tax when it comes into force April 1. Draft regulations released in the March 19 federal budget included a provision for the exemption, but with a 30-day comment period. That led to some confusion as to when exactly the exemption would be in […] Read more
Feds’ national food policy called inadequate
An academic specializing in food issues says the policy announced in the federal budget is underfunded and unfocused
Details of Canada’s new national food policy are expected to be fleshed out over the next few years, but one expert says it needs more funding and better focus. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University said he thinks the policy is more like a strategy. “A policy will dictate what a government will or will not […] Read more
Rural crime alert system welcomed in Sask.
The Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network will provide information about crimes that have occurred
The Saskatchewan creator of a Facebook page designed to share information about rural crime says he welcomes a new alert system from the RCMP and provincial government. Nick Cornea, who established Farmers Against Rural Crime, said he was part of the committee helping to design the Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network. “It’s going to be […] Read more
