Robinson named to Senate

Former CFA president brings agricultural and business acumen to Canada’s upper house

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Published: January 22, 2024

Former CFA president Mary Robinson has been named to the Senate. She’s pictured at the CFA’s AGM in Ottawa in February 2020. (CFA-fca.ca)

Glacier FarmMedia — Mary Robinson, former president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, has been appointed to the Senate.

She fills a vacancy in Prince Edward Island.

Robinson is a sixth-generation farmer and agribusiness operator in P.E.I. and current vice-president of the World Farmers’ Organization. She holds a bachelor of arts in economics and business.

She has worked for more than 25 years with the Robinson Group of Companies, which includes Eric C. Robinson Inc., Island Lime, P.E.I. Agromart and ECR Holdings.

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She served as president of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture and chair of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council. She has been on numerous boards, including the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity and Agriculture Canada’s National Food Policy advisory council.

Robinson has received recognition for her work as one of the Top 25 most powerful women in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business Magazine and the P.E.I. Women’s Institute Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award.

Named to the upper chamber Jan. 22 by governor general Mary Simon, Robinson will serve as an independent senator. Prime minister Justin Trudeau said her experience in agriculture and business “will bring an important perspective to the Senate, where she will be a strong voice for Atlantic Canada.”

Karen Briere writes for the Western Producer from Saskatchewan.

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