Bob Bjornerud plowed right into his new job as Saskatchewan agriculture minister.
A day after he and his cabinet colleagues were sworn in at a ceremony at Government House in Regina, he and premier Brad Wall toured Canadian Western Agribition along with Bjornerud’s chief of staff, former beef policy analyst Tim Highmoor.
The next day, Bjornerud met with Saskatchewan livestock industry leaders to discuss the challenges in the beef and pork sectors caused by the high Canadian dollar and rising feed costs.
“The cattle side is really hurting right now,” he said in an interview before that meeting. “We have to meet with the cattlemen across the province, meet with the federal government, and those are some of the things we have to do very quickly to see if there’s ways we can help.”
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Hog producers are losing about $40 per animal and some cattle producers are losing as much as $200 per head, according to the associations that represent them.
Wall said cabinet hasn’t yet considered a short-term cash injection or other ways it might help producers.
“We understand there’s an urgency out there and we’re going to sit down fairly soon,” he told reporters at Agribition.
Bjornerud, 62, is a former farmer and municipal councillor who was first elected as a Liberal in 1995. He is one of the founding members of the Saskatchewan Party and in 12 years in opposition served as critic for agriculture and municipal affairs.
“I feel comfortable with agriculture,” he said. “I think it’s within my background and the knowledge I bring to the table.”
Bjornerud said dealing with education tax on farmland is a top priority. That is the responsibility of new education minister and deputy premier Ken Krawetz.
Wall appointed Jim Reiter, a former rural municipal administrator and the newly elected MLA for Rosetown-Elrose, as legislative secretary to Krawetz, with specific responsibility for property tax.
Most of the cabinet positions were filled with veteran rural members, but Wall added some new MLAs in urban seats.
In addition to Bjornerud and Krawetz the cabinet includes:
- Bill Boyd, Kindersley, energy and resources, and intergovernmental affairs.
- Rod Gantefoer, Melfort, finance and government house leader.
- Don McMorris, Indian Head-Milestone, health.
- Wayne Elhard, Cypress Hills, highways and infrastructure, Public Service Commission and provincial secretary.
- Lyle Stewart, Thunder Creek, enterprise and innovation.
- Ken Cheveldayoff, Saskatoon Silver Springs, crown corporations.
- Nancy Heppner, Martensville, environment.
- Christine Tell, Regina Wascana Plains, tourism, parks, culture and sport.
- Bill Hutchinson, Regina South, municipal affairs and Saskatchewan Gaming Corp.
Opposition leader Lorne Calvert of the NDP announced his shadow cabinet Nov. 26. Pat Atkinson from Saskatoon Nutana will serve as deputy leader and critic for agriculture, co-operative development and immigration.
