Plants at Delta 9 Cannabis’ indoor production facility in Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

Cannabis industry readies for M+A after COVID-19 boosts weed demand

Companies betting on U.S. market growth after election

Reuters — After nearly a year of next-to-no dealmaking, cannabis companies are gearing up for mergers and acquisitions (M+A) as realistic stock valuations and the prospect of U.S. legalization attract buyers to a sector that has been decimated by oversupply and other issues, executives and investors say. Profitable cannabis companies want to buy their way […] Read more

An excavator works on Parliament Hill on the morning of Oct. 22, 2019, the day after the federal election. (Photo: Reuters/Patrick Doyle)

Industry reacts to divided vote, minority government

Ottawa — A regionally divided federal election resulting in a minority Liberal government leaves a clear challenge for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his caucus colleagues on how to handle the future of agriculture. Trudeau said clearly in his victory speech Monday night that Alberta and Saskatchewan are part of the country and will be […] Read more

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Luc Berthold and Alistair MacGregor all held their seats in the Oct. 21, 2019 federal election. (Dave Bedard photos; MacGregor video screengrab from AlistairMacgregor.ndp.ca)

Voters return Canada’s agriculture minister, ag critics

Canada’s incumbent minister of agriculture and agri-food and all three of her opposition critics in the House of Commons held their seats in Monday night’s federal election. As of about 2 a.m. CT on Tuesday, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals held onto power in a minority government with 157 of 338 seats, ahead of Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives […] Read more

Editorial: Canada’s election forgoes agricultural issues

There hasn’t been much to get excited about in the current federal election, especially if you’re interested in agriculture policy. Political parties have concentrated on their opponents more than on selling themselves. Agriculture has received little time in the greater discussion. In fact, as I write this, we still don’t even know the Conservative platform, […] Read more

Glacier FarmMedia opens bureau in Ottawa

These days I am becoming more thankful to those who do thankless work. About a month ago, I settled in Ottawa. I claim “the west” as home to those here who ask. Most of my growing up was in Calgary and the bulk of my journalism career up until now has been in Saskatchewan. Now […] Read more


From top left: Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal Party of Canada, Luc Berthold, Conservative Party of Canada, Alistair MacGregor, New Democratic Party of Canada, and Kate Storey, Green Party of Canada.

Trade, climate, farm programs part of agricultural leaders’ debate

Agriculture minister has to defend Liberal record on trade deals

The national election debate on agriculture tackled many of the major issues in the sector including trade, climate change, labour and risk management programs. The debaters included: Luc Berthold of the Conservative Party Marie-Claude Bibeau of the Liberal Party Alistair MacGregor of the NDP Kate Storey of the Green Party The debate, hosted by the […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Liberals pledge revamp of federal farm lender

The federal Liberals’ platform heading into the Oct. 21 election calls for an “expanded and enhanced” role for Farm Credit Canada in supporting the country’s agriculture and agrifood sectors. Platform documents released Sunday last week (Sept. 29) call for the merger of several existing federal financial and advisory services — which the Liberals said are […] Read more

Burrows MLA Diljeet Brar, shown here outside Winnipeg’s Seven Oaks General Hospital in a campaign video screengrab, is the Manitoba NDP’s new critic for agriculture. (Facebook)

Ag extension staffer named Manitoba NDP ag critic

A former Manitoba provincial ag extension co-ordinator will be the new critic for agriculture on the opposition New Democrats’ bench. Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew on Friday announced a new shadow cabinet, appointing Diljeet Brar as his critic for agriculture and for sport, culture and heritage. Brar, a rookie MLA elected Sept. 10 in the […] Read more


Green Party leader Elizabeth May walks off the set past moderator Paul Wells (l), Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh after the Maclean’s/Citytv leaders’ debate in Toronto on Sept. 12, 2019. (Pool photo: Frank Gunn via Reuters)

Election 2019: Ag groups want the parties to pay attention

MarketsFarm — Two major national farm organizations want the political parties to pay more attention to agriculture as the federal election continues. However, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) have somewhat different takes as to what they see as paramount. “It’s really important that we uphold the quality of […] Read more

Food security is an issue in this election for 54 per cent of Canadians. (FatCamera/E+/Getty Images)

Food, farming not expected to be big election issues

Canadians don’t think that food and agriculture will be a significant issue in the current federal election. A survey conducted Sept. 9 and released Tuesday by Angus Reid Global with the support of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab shows 31 per cent of Canadians believe food and agriculture will be a prime electoral issue during […] Read more