Words matter. When it comes to strategic negotiations, choosing words carefully can mean the difference between a productive dialogue that gets everyone closer to a deal or act like a wedge that splits an insurmountable gap between parties. For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet, choosing the right strategy when working with incoming U.S.... Read More
Category: Politics
Senator Rob Black gets around. Appointed in 2018, he's earned a reputation for his diligent commitment to agriculture issues and ensuring they get their fair share of attention in the upper house of Canada's parliament. Black was on hand this week at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture AGM at Toronto where he kicked off the... Read More
Drew Spoelstra has been re-elected to a second, one-year term as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). The Binbrook, Ont., dairy and crop farmer was chosen to lead the provincial farm lobby at an executive meeting following the conclusion of the organization’s annual convention in Toronto this week. “I appreciate the trust and... Read More
President-elect Donald Trump has selected trade lawyer Jamieson Greer to serve as the next U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Greer previously served as chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s USTR during his first term. He will hold one of the most influential cabinet seats when it comes to the future of North American agriculture, alongside... Read More
B.C. Premier David Eby is bringing back a familiar face to represent agriculture in his new cabinet. Lana Popham was sworn in as B.C.'s Minister of Agriculture and Food as Eby unveiled his cabinet on Monday following the narrow win for his incumbent NDP in the provincial election last month. Popham served as B.C.'s ag... Read More
Fresh off of the U.S. election last week, our attention now turns to the possibility of a Canadian election and what that potential outcome would mean for Canadian agriculture. According to the latest Abacus Data poll, the Conservatives hold a 19-point lead over the governing Liberals. No matter when an election happens in Canada between... Read More
The decisive comeback victory by Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election has kicked off the political parlour game of speculating who the president-elect might choose to serve in key cabinet roles. It appears the Trump team is much more organized than it was in 2016 and ready to hit the ground running with appointments... Read More
A cattle rancher who also spent more than thirty years working in the oil industry has been named as Saskatchewan's new agriculture minister. Premier Scott Moe unveiled his new, slightly-smaller cabinet on Thursday following a fifth-consecutive Saskatchewan Party win in the provincial election last month. Daryl Harrison, who has served as the MLA for Cannington... Read More
The private member's bill that aimed to prohibit any concessions to Canada's supply managed dairy, poultry, and egg markets in future trade talks has been derailed by an amendment passed at the Senate's foreign affairs and international trade committee. Bloc MP Luc Theriault's Bill C-282 is technically still alive, but the odds of it becoming... Read More
"Trump won't actually put tariffs on us, will he?" That's a common question across Canadian agriculture as the dust settles on a decisive Republican victory in the U.S. presidential election. During the campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly talked about applying universal tariffs in the 10 to 20 per cent range, with the possibility of somewhat higher... Read More