Canada’s Senate has passed federal legislation that grain grower groups have hoped will help improve rail freight service for the sector this year. Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act, passed third reading in the Senate on Tuesday following a 41-31 vote to approve a message that the Senate “does not insist on its amendments” to […] Read more
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Federal rail freight legislation clears Senate
Grain groups rip lawmakers over derailed transport bill
Several farm groups say partisan haggling has again derailed federal legislation they hoped would help improve rail freight service for the grain sector this year. Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act, passed third reading in the Senate and was returned to the House of Commons with proposed amendments on March 29 — and went back […] Read more
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
Farmers seek ‘urgent’ action from Senate on rail service
Groups representing Canadian grain growers touched down in Ottawa Thursday to urge quick passage of legislation to avoid a sequel to the grain handling logjam of 2013-14. Representatives from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Grain Growers of Canada, Keystone Agricultural Producers, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, Alberta Federation of Agriculture and B.C. Agriculture Council went […] Read more
Rural Ontario leader appointed to Senate
A leader in Ontario’s agriculture and rural community is one of Canada’s newest senators. Rob Black, executive director of the Rural Ontario Institute and a former president of 4-H Canada, was named Thursday as one of two new senators from Ontario by Governor General Julie Payette. Why is this significant? It has been a long […] Read more
Recreational marijuana sales in Canada face fresh delays
Ottawa | Reuters — The sale of legalized recreational marijuana in Canada, which has already been pushed back once beyond the planned July start date, is set to be delayed even further, government officials said Thursday. The ruling Liberals are sparring with the upper Senate chamber, where a draft law is currently under review. Critics […] Read more
Marijuana can only go on sale months after federal law passes
Ottawa | Reuters — Recreational marijuana in Canada will only go on sale a few months after it is legalized later this year because the new retail system needs time to start working properly, Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said Tuesday. The Liberal government says the new law must be in place by July 1 […] Read more
U.S. ag secretary nominee submits ethics disclosures
Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Agriculture Department said in Senate ethics disclosure forms that he would place his assets, which include part ownership of a grain merchandising company, into a blind trust. Republican Sonny Perdue was tapped to head the department the day before Trump’s inauguration. Progress on his […] Read more
Key U.S. senator remains wary of China’s Syngenta play
Beijing | Reuters — A powerful U.S. senator said he is concerned that state-owned ChemChina, which is buying Swiss crop protection and seed group Syngenta for $43 billion, could use U.S. sovereign immunity laws to shield itself from claims in U.S. courts. Some Chinese state-owned entities have argued that they have sovereign immunity and thus […] Read more
U.S. GMO label law clears Congress
A law for mandatory labelling of foods for sale in the U.S. with genetically modified or otherwise “bioengineered” ingredients has cleared both houses of Congress and now goes to President Barack Obama. The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved the Senate’s bipartisan bill S.764 by a 306-117 vote, sending it to the White House […] Read more