The railway blockades by Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs in British Columbia protesting the Coastal GasLink pipeline and by sympathizers in various parts of Canada, most notably, in Ontario, were deemed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week to be “unacceptable and untenable.” Yet they were, for almost three weeks, accepted. As for untenable, let’s take a […] Read more
Opinion
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Journeyman farmer idea is worthwhile to explore
The efforts of four farmers collaborating to set up a journeyman training program for farm labourers are welcome. Given the…
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Those working in ag should be proud
Sometimes we forget that agriculture really is amazing. One of my most memorable experiences is standing in front of a…
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Food Freedom Day reflects on ag goals, achievements
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s proclamation of Feb. 8 as this year’s Food Freedom Day — the day in which…
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U.S. trade deals receive weak review
After the White House announced its twin trade triumphs, the passage of NAFTA 2.0 and phase one of a multi-phase…
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Bibeau should have understanding of agricultural file by now
It was an awkward back and forth when I asked Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau if she was committed to…
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Capital turnover ratio declines
I recently spoke at a conference about financial efficiency. It was two sessions actually. I typically don’t get a lot…
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Stories from our other publications
Feds ignore evidence on carbon tax
When it comes to productivity, Canadian agriculture has always punched above its weight and modern Canadian agriculture has unleashed incredible potential. What Canadian farmers, ranchers and processors are looking for is a champion to stand alongside them. There is good reason to champion our agriculture sector. One in eight jobs in Canada is directly related […] Read more
Is the late rush to top up an RRSP account worth the trouble?
Every year many (even most) eligible Canadians wait until the deadline to contribute to their Registered Retirement Savings Plans. This year, that deadline is March 2 to make your 2019 contribution to benefit from the resulting tax deduction for the past year. The deduction limit for 2019 is the lesser of 18 percent of your […] Read more
Alberta mine withdrawal regrettable
Teck Resources’ decision to withdraw its application to develop the Frontier Mine in northern Alberta is regrettable. The mine was to generate about 7,000 jobs and contribute $70 billion in taxes, as well as salaries and capital investment. Teck’s president and chief executive officer, Don Lindsay, issued a statement urging Canada to get its act […] Read more
More negatives than positives in crop outlook
As the growing season quickly approaches, the few positives to celebrate are overshadowed by an unusually long list of serious concerns. Comparing grain prices to one year ago, canola is down about $20 a tonne, wheat is down more than $10, feed barley is down by about $40 and yellow peas are down about $14 […] Read more
Canada must learn to avoid conflict behind railway blockades
Our latest so-called national crisis has led to calls for police to arrest protesters and tear down rail blockades, but perhaps we should be thinking about how to prevent conflicts like this from happening in the first place. There’s no denying the real effects the rail blockades have on farmers. Ships currently waiting in port […] Read more
A deliberate and unhurried hand at the agricultural policy tiller
Marie-Claude Bibeau isn't likely to shy away from tough areas, or be rushed into "fixing" them
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau isn’t scare of talking about agricultural policy. That’s a good thing, because one thing any Canadian Agriculture Minister must be willing to do is talk about ag policy. And talk and talk and talk. Everybody wants to talk to whoever the ag minister is, and in the agriculture industry that […] Read more
Journeyman farmer idea is worthwhile to explore
The efforts of four farmers collaborating to set up a journeyman training program for farm labourers are welcome. Given the vacancies in farm labour jobs, they should receive good support. Kristjan Hebert, who farms near Moosomin, Sask., and three other farmers are putting up their own funds to hire an employee tasked with setting up […] Read more
Those working in ag should be proud
Sometimes we forget that agriculture really is amazing. One of my most memorable experiences is standing in front of a few hundred high school students as a volunteer for Agriculture in the Classroom and telling them how this industry has changed my life and the way I view my own educational path. I joined the […] Read more
Climate change activism causes latest headache
Add another worry to grain transportation. As if labour disputes, bad weather and system bottlenecks weren’t enough, we can now add civil disobedience. The blockade of rail lines by protestors has rapidly become a serious concern with grain being one of the numerous commodities affected. Unlike a strike or lockout and unlike a winter cold […] Read more
