Summer is officially drawing to a close and Canada’s federal politicians are heading back to Parliament Hill. After two months in their ridings, MPs are facing a busy fall agenda as the Liberals settle into office. For Canadian agriculture, there are several files worth watching. At the House agriculture committee, MPs will pick up where […] Read more
Stories by Kelsey Johnson
Trudeau’s China visit brings sighs of relief from canola growers
Nervous canola farmers worried that this year’s harvest may not have access to the lucrative Chinese market can breathe easier. After months of discussion, including daily bureaucratic negotiations, a Sept. 1 deadline to reduce the amount of dockage in Canadian canola shipments has been delayed, at least for now. China has agreed to retain the […] Read more
Plowing adventure: my day at the Canadian Plowing Championships
When the Canadian Plowing Championships sent me an email asking whether I would be willing to participate in their VIP-vs-media plowing match, I couldn’t help but chuckle. I’m a city girl. I drive an automatic Toyota hatchback, live close to downtown, and it takes every ounce of my faded green thumb to keep the two […] Read more
Ottawa has work cut out in solving China’s canola import issues
Just weeks before an expected trip to China for the upcoming G20 meeting, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be about to get a crash course in agricultural trade spats after Canadian and Chinese officials failed to resolve an ongoing dispute over canola imports. China wants to tighten the rules around dockage amounts (excess removable foreign […] Read more
Liberals nix summer meetings on import issues hurting ag
A federal opposition effort to force the House of Commons’ international trade committee to sit during the summer over Canadian agriculture border issues — including diafiltered milk and spent fowl — has failed. Committee members were summoned back to Ottawa Aug. 3 at the request of Conservative MP Randy Hoback, a demand that was backed by […] Read more
Runaround on Port of Churchill closure strange but true
If you’re looking for answers from Ottawa on what the Port of Churchill’s closure means for grain transportation, prepare for some bureaucratic runaround. Federal officials have remained silent, even as Canadian farmers are expecting a near record crop. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay’s office deferred the matter to Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains’ office, whose portfolio includes […] Read more
Transportation stakeholders not wooed by consultation promise
The Liberals promised to be a more transparent and accountable government. They promised public consultations on major policy decisions — consultations that would give Canadians and industry a chance to influence federal policy. But talk to Canada’s farm groups and prairie agriculture ministers about the federal government’s consultation process so far on grain transportation and […] Read more
Alberta Conservative leadership race proves exciting
EDMONTON — For reporters, the political fodder coming out of Alberta these days is unprecedented. First, there was the historic election that ended 43-years of Progressive Conservative reign, a result that made NDP leader Rachel Notley premier and has exposed deep factions within the province’s political right. Now, former Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney says […] Read more
New faces at ag ministers meeting may bring surprises
Canada’s agriculture ministers are heading to Calgary for their annual meeting. The two-day event, scheduled for July 20-22, marks the first time Canada’s federal and provincial agriculture ministers will meet since the Liberals took office in October. The meeting is hosted by Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier, who will serve as co-chair with rookie federal […] Read more
Governments look for ways to stop rural youth drain
It’s a challenge small communities across the country have faced for decades: how to convince young people to stay. For many, the lure of the city is irresistible, with greater career and educational opportunities, and copious options for entertainment and sports. The hustle and bustle of the city, coupled with the larger youth populations that […] Read more
