Experts are calling for environmental targets to better position Canada in markets at home and abroad. Agri-Food Sustainability Targets is a report authored by David McInnes, who is working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and others. “What’s happening globally and nationally is that there is a wholesale shift
Better benchmarking of environmental targets needed
Sustainability metrics can develop and protect markets for farmers
Comment: Continue to improve mental health supports
All Canadians — no matter where they live — deserve access to the needed resources
Government efforts to improve mental health supports for Canadians should be improved. Every year, Bell “Let’s Talk Day” is welcomed with kind messages from people, including politicians, encouraging folks to take care of themselves and each other. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau did just that this Jan. 28. In a press release, Bibeau
Travel restrictions won’t impact TFWs: federal sources
These workers are deemed essential by the federal government and can quarantine on farm
New travel restrictions imposed on Canadians by the federal government won’t impact the arrival of temporary or seasonal foreign workers, according to sources. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Jan. 29 that Canada’s air carriers had agreed to suspend services to sunny destinations. Flights to tropical locations, like Mexico, are being cancelled by Air Canada, West Jet, Sun Wing and
Provinces have no clear plans for TFW vaccinations
Many are employed in higher-risk environments like meat plants and other processors
As Canadians brace for a COVID-19 vaccine shortage, it remains unclear when temporary foreign workers – thousands of whom are employed in meat-packing plants – will receive it. On Jan. 15, Canada’s minister responsible for vaccine procurement, Anita Anand, said the country’s supply of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine was experiencing a temporary delay because the
Canada consulting at home toward Indonesia trade deal
Possibility of broader Southeast Asian pact also looms
Continuing to seek out free trade deals in the Asia-Pacific region, Canada has launched public consultations on the merits of a potential bilateral pact with Indonesia. “Deepening trade ties with Indonesia would benefit Canadian businesses of all sizes and lead to economic growth and prosperity for years to come,” International Trade Minister Mary Ng said
Comment: Farmers should get on board with green future
Not fighting climate change is no longer an option
Ottawa’s recently announced plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the cost of carbon over the next 10 years was met with predictable outrage from many in the agriculture sector. Already frustrated over having to pay for carbon uses, many farmers see the expanded plan as a crippling tax that ignores previous efforts made
Commodity groups push provinces on AgriStability
Year-end virtual town hall sees call for quick adoption of policies to accept AgriStability changes
Leaders of several leading Canadian producer groups called on provincial governments to accept Ottawa’s proposal to improve business risk management (BRM) programs. During an end-of-year virtual town hall meeting, Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Mary Robinson said federal Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau’s proposal to fix AgriStability, a leading irritant of the BRMs, “represents a
Decisions impact food systems, says UN envoy
Agnes Kalibata, the former Rwandan minister of agriculture, says the global community needs to pull together
As the United Nations Food System’s Summit, planned for next October, approaches warnings are going out that the world is not on track to meet its 2015 sustainable development goals, including the one to end world hunger. “We are off track,” said UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Food System’s Summit Agnes Kalibata during
Lack of detail, slow ratification of U.K. trade deal raises concern
There’s a chance that Canada-U.K. trade could be hit with tariffs, critics say
Despite boasting of signing a transitional agreement, Canada may not have a trade deal ready with the United Kingdom by the time 2021 rolls around. Exporters could be forced to pay British tariffs if the deal isn’t ratified into law by the end of the year. Canada’s International Trade Minister Mary Ng has failed to
Opinion: Biden’s victory a win for carbon pricing policy
Expect opposition to evaporate as one of the world’s largest economies signs on
President-elect Joe Biden’s climate strategy will lay waste to the opposition some Canadians have to our country’s carbon pricing policy. Biden campaigned on aggressively combating climate change. When he becomes president in January, it is expected he will create investment in green technologies. Like Canada, the United States will soon be trying to reach net-zero
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
