Woman shopping for tomatoes

Food policy consultations reveal challenges of creating national direction

The next steps, not yet known, will be important to the success of the program, says CFA president

The public is more concerned with conserving environmental health and ensuring access to affordable food, versus growing more of it, according to public consultations on Canada’s Food Policy. The results of a long public consultation process were released recently and show the challenges that the federal government will have in creating A Food Policy for Canada, […] Read more

The Port of Churchill in 2015. (CNS Canada photo by Jade Markus)

Proposed deal ‘fallen apart’ for Hudson Bay Railway

An acquisition deal-in-principle for northern Manitoba’s Hudson Bay Railway appears to have collapsed and the line’s current owners warn the railway may now be down for yet another shipping season. Hudson Bay Railway (HBR), a subsidiary of Colorado-based shortline operator OnmiTrax, announced Tuesday “it now appears that this transaction has fallen apart.” The proposed sale […] Read more


Closeup of the flags of the North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA members on textile texture. NAFTA is the world's largest trade bloc and the member countries are Canada, United States and Mexico. 3D rendering with detailed textured grunge effect on closeup.

Opinion: Could NAFTA be a 2019 election issue?

The fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) could very well become a central issue in the 2019 federal election. Trade officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States failed to resolve an ongoing impasse at the negotiating table in time to present Congress with an agreement by May 17 — a deadline […] Read more

Will the federal government have enough time to get Bill C-49 passed before summer recess in June, or will it be further off in the distance?

OPINION: Lots of transportation questions as Parliament returns

Parliament will have its work cut out for it on the transportation file when it returns April 16. Just before adjourning for the Easter break, the Senate passed a heavily amended version of bill C-49, the Liberals proposed overhaul of the Canadian transportation system. In total, the Senate transportation committee passed 19 amendments – three […] Read more


Photo: Thinkstock

Federal government extends food policy discussions

Citing a strong response from across the country, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay has extended the public consultations on a national food policy until Aug. 31. “Canadians’ responses to our online survey show they truly care about food issues. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the extended comment period, and I look forward […] Read more

KAP president Dan Mazier.  Photo: File/Shannon VanRaes

Keystone Agricultural Producers defends cash ticket deferrals

Manitoba’s Keystone Agricultural Producers has joined other farm groups in calling on the federal government to keep a regulation that allows farmers to defer grain sales into the following year for tax purposes. The government announced in its recent budget that it is considering eliminating grain ticket deferrals because it is a left over from […] Read more

Canada’s new Agriculture and Agri-Foods Minister Lawrence MacAulay (l) is sworn-in during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa November 4, 2015. Photo: REUTERS/Chris Wattie

Lawrence MacAulay sworn in as Canada’s new agriculture minister

Ottawa/Manitoba Co-operator – Only hours after being sworn in by Governor General David Johnston and mere minutes after leaving his first cabinet meeting, Canada’s newly minted Minister of Agriculture paused to speak with reporters gathered on Parliament Hill Nov. 3. “I’m certainly pleased,” said Lawrence MacAulay. “Being a dairy farmer and a seed potato farmer […] Read more


Eyes on election, Tories balance budget with asset sales

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Conservative government, seeking re-election this year, delivered a federal budget Tuesday that promised a slim surplus despite the oil price crash, while offering goodies to seniors and small businesses and boosting security spending. It will mark Canada’s first surplus in eight years, accomplished with the help of the sale of […] Read more

Nova Scotia MP named parliamentary ag secretary

A promotion at the federal Tories’ cabinet table has led to the appointment of a new parliamentary secretary on the agriculture file. Gerald Keddy, MP for the Nova Scotia riding of South Shore-St. Margaret’s since 1997, was named Friday to replace Ontario MP Pierre Lemieux as parliamentary secretary for Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Lemieux, the […] Read more