Governments have increased the share they will pay for Saskatchewan water projects after farmers found the costs too high. Agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud said about a third of the $15 million available through the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program has been allocated. There are about 25 community wells in the works. He said the […] Read more
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Sask. expands water assistance
Heat gene discovered
Scientists have uncovered another piece of the puzzle of how plants respond to heat. Robert Larkin, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Michigan State University, was working on photosynthesis in plants when he uncovered the bZIP28 gene. He and his team found that it regulates the heat stress response in Arabidopsis thaliana, a […] Read more
Harper vows to work with opposition parties
During his victory speech following a second straight Conservative minority government win, Stephen Harper promised to set aside the rancour that sometimes dominates the House of Commons. “This is a time for us to put aside partisan considerations and work for the benefit of all Canadians,” he said, indicating a willingness to work with the […] Read more
Rural residents expect quick action
With a strengthened parliamentary mandate and the overwhelming support of Canadian farmers and rural ridings, what can Canadian farmers expect the new Conservative government to do? “We will keep our promises,” prime minister Stephen Harper said on election night in a Calgary speech. “We will do what we said we will do.” For Canadian Federation […] Read more
Why Steve missed a majority
Stephen Harper’s plan for a majority government was derailed in Quebec where voters gave the separatist Bloc Québécois two-thirds of the 75 seats available. The Conservatives had hoped to double or triple the 10 seats they won in 2006 after spending money, declaring the Québécois a nation within Canada, giving Quebec more power and spending […] Read more
On your mark, get set, stay
Last-minute candidate changes and a campaign that pit two former city mayors against a former city police chief had all the makings of an exciting race. But in the end, it wasn’t particularly close and the result was the same. The Saskatchewan riding of Palliser, left without its incumbent MP after Dave Batters withdrew for […] Read more
Close calls for some prominent candidates
It was Wayne Easter’s closest call since 1997 after the Liberals had cut social programs near and dear to the hearts of rural Prince Edward Island voters. But the Liberal agriculture critic won his Malpeque riding for the sixth time Oct. 14, taking more than 44 percent of the vote and a 900 vote victory. […] Read more
NDP takes Winnipeg, mourns rural losses
NDP MP Pat Martin’s big challenge wasn’t beating his political opponents. They stood little chance in this NDP stronghold of Winnipeg Centre. The challenge he set for himself was to get 50 percent of the total votes cast, a feat he was teetering on the edge of achieving late Tuesday night. Not only did Martin […] Read more
Feds need to work on solving ag problems
Farmers need the federal government to get to work on agricultural problems, say the leaders of prairie farm organizations. But farm leaders from Manitoba and Alberta are split on whether they believe the new Conservative minority government will be able to get the work done. “It would be nice if we’d had a majority, one […] Read more
Goodale survives, prairie Liberals take a hit
Prairie voters cut the Liberal presence in half Oct. 14, re-electing Ralph Goodale in Saskatchewan but returning just one of three MPs in Manitoba. Anita Neville was re-elected in the safe Winnipeg South Centre seat, but Tina Keeper and Raymond Simard were defeated in Churchill and Saint Boniface, respectively. Goodale is the lone Liberal in […] Read more
