gerry ritz Archives

Then-federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (second from right) announces G3’s plan to take a majority stake in CWB in April 2015 in Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

Farmers’ CWB class action lawsuit gets certified

Suit claims federal government wrongly used farmers' money to help privatize the Wheat Board

By Allan Dawson April 8, 2022

A class action lawsuit alleging the government of Canada and G3 Canada Ltd. unlawfully used millions of farmer dollars to privatize the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has been certified after […] Read more

Devin Dreeshen is sworn in on April 30, 2019 as Alberta’s agriculture minister; Premier Jason Kenney looks on. (Video screengrab from Government of Alberta via YouTube)

Crops, Livestock

Alberta UCP’s trade critic named ag minister

By GFM Staff April 30, 2019

Alberta’s new premier has tapped a not-quite-rookie MLA with experience in farming, farm policy and U.S. politics as his new minister of agriculture and forestry. Jason Kenney, sworn in Tuesday […] Read more

Crops

CWB class action suit takes step forward

By Allan Dawson May 31, 2018

A proposed class action lawsuit against the federal government and G3, alleging farmers’ money helped privatize the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), is another step closer, says Anders Bruun, one of […] Read more

Gerry Ritz won’t be coming back to the House of Commons in September. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Shannon VanRaes)

Ex-agriculture minister Gerry Ritz quits Commons

By Farmtario Staff August 31, 2017

Gerry Ritz, the federal minister for agriculture and agri-food for nine years in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, is done with federal politics. The MP for the western Saskatchewan riding of […] Read more

Luc Berthold, shown here in April 2011 during his stint as mayor of Thetford Mines, Que., is the new lead Opposition critic for agriculture and agri-food. (Ville.ThetfordMines.qc.ca)

Federal Tories look east for ag critic

By Farmtario Staff August 30, 2017

The federal Conservatives have tapped one of their rookie Quebec MPs as the new agriculture critic for Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Andrew Scheer, elected in May as the Tories’ new […] Read more

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shown here Nov. 16 in Turkey, said Canada would “rather not” launch trade retaliation against the U.S., but will do so to “stand up for our farmers.” (Adam Scotti photo courtesy PMO)

Livestock, Markets

Trudeau says prefers to avoid COOL retaliation on U.S.

By Reuters December 10, 2015

Ottawa | Reuters –– Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday he would prefer not to apply sanctions against the U.S. over a meat labeling dispute, but at the same time […] Read more

Peace region MP Chris Warkentin, shown here in October 2011 at the Canadian Council for Aboroginal Business’ Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Conference in Ottawa, has been named as the Conservatives’ critic for agriculture and agri-food. (Entrepreneurship2011.indigenous.net)

Crops, Markets

Peace MP named Conservatives’ lead ag critic

By Farmtario Staff November 20, 2015

A contractor turned politician from Alberta’s northwestern Peace region is the new ag critic in Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Chris Warkentin, the Conservatives’ MP for Peace River since 2006 and, […] Read more

Gerry Ritz, shown here in Winnipeg in April, may be a tough act to follow in the ag portfolio for a Liberal government with a limited depth chart in the ag sector. (Dave Bedard photo)

Markets

Binkley: Speculation swirls on Grits’ successor for Ritz

By Alex Binkley October 20, 2015

The guessing game on whom the next agriculture minister will be is well underway in Ottawa although no obvious choice stands out. Whoever Justin Trudeau selects will find Gerry Ritz […] Read more

Most of farm file’s handlers to return to Commons

By Farmtario Staff October 20, 2015

Most federal parliamentarians with experience in the agriculture and agri-food portfolio will be back in the House of Commons under a new majority Liberal government. As of Tuesday morning, prime […] Read more

Canada’s agriculture ministers pose for their annual family photo in Charlottetown. (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada photo)

Livestock, Markets

Trade ‘balancing act’ in focus at ag ministers’ meeting

By Dave Bedard July 17, 2015

With foreign governments urging Canada to open up its protected dairy, poultry and egg markets, the country’s provincial agriculture ministers are unanimously counter-urging in supply management’s defense. Pressure from trading […] Read more