Reading Time: 4 minutes 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 wending its way through the courts for 10 years. Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Chris Martin delivered his written judgment Tuesday in Winnipeg, clearing the […] Read more
Farmers’ CWB class action lawsuit gets certified
Suit claims federal government wrongly used farmers' money to help privatize the Wheat Board
Alberta UCP’s trade critic named ag minister
Reading Time: 3 minutes 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 as premier, named Devin Dreeshen, the MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake since last July, to handle the ag and forestry file. Dreeshen came to the UCP’s […] Read more
CWB class action suit takes step forward
Reading Time: 3 minutes 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 the lawyers working on the suit. In a written ruling released Monday, Master Shayne Berthaudin of the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench ruled against the […] Read more
Ex-agriculture minister Gerry Ritz quits Commons
Reading Time: 2 minutes 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 Battlefords-Lloydminster since 1997, Ritz announced via Twitter Thursday morning that he “will not be returning to my seat in the House of Commons this fall.” […] Read more
Federal Tories look east for ag critic
Reading Time: 2 minutes 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 leader, on Wednesday announced his first shadow cabinet with Luc Berthold, the MP for Megantic-L’Erable, as agriculture and agri-food critic and John Barlow, MP for […] Read more
Trudeau says prefers to avoid COOL retaliation on U.S.
Reading Time: 2 minutes 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 warned that he would stand up for Canada’s farmers. Earlier this week, the World Trade Organization authorized an annual retaliation level of $1.055 billion for […] Read more
Peace MP named Conservatives’ lead ag critic
Reading Time: 2 minutes 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, as of last month, the MP for Grande Prairie-Mackenzie, was named Friday by interim leader Rona Ambrose as the critic for agriculture and agri-food, with […] Read more
Binkley: Speculation swirls on Grits’ successor for Ritz
Reading Time: 3 minutes 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 a tough act to follow. During his eight years in the portfolio, he has put an increasing production and export stamp on the industry. And […] Read more
Most of farm file’s handlers to return to Commons
Reading Time: 4 minutes 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 minister-elect Justin Trudeau’s Liberals were elected or leading in 184 of 338 seats, for a decisive majority following Monday’s federal election. Stephen Harper’s Conservatives return […] Read more
Trade ‘balancing act’ in focus at ag ministers’ meeting
Reading Time: 3 minutes 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 partners and strong regional support in principle for supply management are nothing new. But Canada’s annual ag ministers’ meeting, held this week in Charlottetown, wrapped […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
