Commons Archives | Country Guide

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves a news conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on June 25, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)

Parliament rises as farm succession bill passes

Manitoba MP's private member's bill clears Senate

By D.C. Fraser June 26, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes With the possibility of a fall election looming, MPs rose from the House of Commons on Wednesday, marking the end to a parliamentary session featuring a handful of laws impacting agriculture. Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire saw his private member’s bill, aimed at lowering taxes on the sales of farms and other small businesses, pass in […] Read more

Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire speaks to Bill C-208 on Nov. 25 in the House of Commons. (Video screengrab from Parl.gc.ca)

General

Tory MP’s bill on farm transfer tax treatment moves ahead

Private member's bill now awaits Senate approval

By Dave Bedard May 15, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes A Manitoba Conservative MP’s bill to standardize the tax treatment for sales of farms and other small businesses has cleared the House of Commons and is en route to the Senate. Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire’s Bill C-208, which was introduced for first reading in February last year, passed third reading in the Commons on Wednesday. […] Read more

Crops, Machinery, Weather

Grain drying relief moving forward, one way or other

Governing Liberals telegraph plans to introduce their own measure

By D.C. Fraser February 28, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes Despite voting against a bill to exempt certain farm fuels from the carbon tax, the governing federal Liberals say tax relief for grain drying is coming. Conservative MP Philip Lawrence’s private member’s bill C-206, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (qualifying farming fuel), passed second reading in the House of Commons […] Read more

General, Markets, Weather

Budget could include new BRM program, ag labour plan

Proposal for 'AgriResilience' program goes to Freeland

By D.C. Fraser February 20, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes A new pre-budget report from the House of Commons’ finance committee is recommending several measures directly related to agriculture — including sought-after tweaks to AgriStability and creation of an entirely new business risk management program. The multipartisan committee heard testimony and received submissions from more than 800 groups and individuals. Mostly-virtual meetings took place in […] Read more

Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel. (GGC video screengrab)

Crops, Markets

Grain Growers of Canada lobby Parliament Hill

Agriculture can help restart Canada's economy and the federal government help by addressing some issues, group says

By Allan Dawson November 18, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Agriculture can help revitalize Canada’s post-COVID economy, but the federal government should clear the track for it. That means updating regulations to encourage technological innovation, improving market access for agricultural exports and recognizing farm practices that help the environment, Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) says. The organization, which represents 15 regional, provincial and national grain […] Read more

Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council chair and Exceldor vice-president Joel Cormier addresses the Commons standing committee on agriculture on May 29. (Video screengrab from Parl.gc.ca)

Livestock, Markets, Poultry/Eggs

COVID concerns weigh on chicken farmers, processors

Sales crashed on lack of foodservice business

By D.C. Fraser June 6, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa — Chicken Farmers of Canada say they’ve faced a “sharp decline” in sales as a result of a significant drop in food services, which represents roughly 40 per cent of their market. CFC chair Benoît Fontaine warned federal MPs as much during a virtual meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food […] Read more

General, Machinery, Markets

Sollio outlines pandemic recovery plan for food sector

Support sought for automation, digitization, telecommunications

By D.C. Fraser June 1, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa — One of Canada’s largest agri-food companies has laid out a five-point industry recovery plan for federal politicians to consider. During a meeting Tuesday of the Commons standing committee on finance, the president of Quebec-based Sollio Co-operative Group shared plans to limit consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the agrifood supply chain. Sollio employs […] Read more

Canadian Mushrooms Growers’ Association CEO Ryan Koeslag speaks online with members of the Commons standing ag committee. (Video screengrab from Parl.gc.ca)

Crops

Federal ag supports ‘too little, too late’ for mushroom growers

Timing of programs for TFWs, surplus food purchases leaves aid out of reach: CMGA

By D.C. Fraser June 1, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa — Members of Parliament sitting on the committee dealing with agricultural issues continue to hear concerns over the federal government’s response to COVID-19. During the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food’s online meeting Wednesday, representatives of the Canadian Mushrooms Growers’ Association raised “grave concerns” over the support CMGA members have received. CEO Ryan […] Read more

Federal deputy agriculture minister Chris Forbes was one of the witnesses to appear via video conferencing at the Commons agriculture committee’s online meeting May 5. (Parl.gc.ca)

Livestock, Markets

Opposition MPs critique government’s COVID-19 response for ag sector

Pandemic puts ag committee meeting online

By D.C. Fraser May 12, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa — Opposition MPs used the first meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to critique the federal Liberals’ $252 million aid package for farmers and food processors. During the May 5 online meeting, Quebec MP Richard Lehoux, the Conservatives’ associate agriculture critic, charged the […] Read more

General, Markets

Farm groups offer finance committee food security for thought

By D.C. Fraser April 24, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) continues to pressure the federal government to offer more support for farmers as it looks to mitigate impacts of COVID-19. One of few parliamentary functions continuing to operate in the pandemic, the Commons standing committee on finance is responsible for studying and reporting on matters related to government spending. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy futures sag on end-of-month selling

Dominican Republic restricts pig shipments after ASF confirmed

CNH Industrial bets on strong market to counter worst supply chain situation

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