Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis speaks on B.C. Agriculture Day in the provincial legislature on Oct. 25, 2022. (Legislative Assembly Of B.C. video screengrab via Facebook)

Former Mission, B.C. mayor named province’s ag minister

Pam Alexis handling agriculture; Lana Popham moves to tourism file

A rookie MLA and former city mayor from British Columbia’s farming-rich Fraser Valley has been named as the province’s new minister of agriculture and food. Premier David Eby, who assumed the post last month following John Horgan’s resignation, on Wednesday shuffled the provincial cabinet and named Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis to handle the ag and


Bob Speller, shown here in a 2011 campaign video, died Dec. 16, 2021. (Video screengrab via YouTube)

Former federal agriculture minister Bob Speller, 65

Ontario MP served in Paul Martin's cabinet

A memorial will be held next week for Bob Speller, the Ontario businessman who served as Canada’s agriculture minister in the thick of the country’s BSE crisis. Speller, the MP for the southwestern Ontario riding of what’s now Haldimand-Norfolk from 1988 to 2004, died Thursday at age 65. A cause of death wasn’t given in

Manitoba Beef Producers president Tom Teichroeb addressed worries on Agricultural Crown Land changes, and what MBP will do about them, during a packed lease holders' meeting in Ste. Rose du Lac Oct. 2, 2019.

Year in Review: Crown lands saga continues

Crown land changes were a hot-button topic for northern ranchers in 2019, but with promised rule changes still incoming, it's not over yet

The province’s agricultural Crown lands overhaul went from a simmer to a boil in late 2019 — and northern ranchers are still roiling. Crown lands were gridlocked to start off the year. The province froze all new lease agreements or unit transfers as of fall 2018, after changes to the Crown Lands Act got royal


Mary Robinson (l) president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau (r) federal minister for agriculture and agri-food.

Editorial: About time

The world of Canadian agriculture made a couple of big strides in the field of gender parity this week. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture elected its first female president, Mary Robinson. While the name might be new to western Canadian members she’s well known in Atlantic Canada agriculture. She’s managing partner of a sixth-generation family

Andre Lamontagne, shown here at left at a press conference in May 2017 with CAQ leader Francois Legault, is Quebec’s new agriculture minister. (Video screengrab from AssNat.qc.ca)

CAQ taps businessman as Quebec’s new ag minister

Quebec’s new governing party has turned to one of its more experienced MNAs to handle the farm file. Premier Francois Legault on Thursday named Andre Lamontagne, a businessman and former supermarket owner and the MNA for the southwestern riding of Johnson, as his minister of agriculture, fisheries and food, and as minister responsible for the


At Ag Days in January Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced legislation to streamline KAP’s checkoff. The legislation went from second reading to Royal Assent in just four and a half days and will take effect Dec. 1.

Streamlined, improved KAP checkoff takes effect Dec. 1

Bill 35 went from second reading to Royal assent in just four and a half days

The Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) will have an improved membership checkoff in place Dec. 1, the start of its new fiscal year, thanks to legislation that was passed and given royal assent Nov. 9 and 10, respectively. Bill 35, the Agricultural Producers Organizations Funding Act, passed third reading unanimously in Manitoba legislature, following a marathon

Opinion: Choice of voice needed for Manitoba

Provincial Minister of Agriculture Ralph Eichler plans to improve the efficiency of the checkoff system that currently funds Keystone Agriculture Producers, reducing red tape. Agriculture is a complex industry with many issues and different viewpoints to consider. A system like we have now supports just one organization’s perspectives, limits the public debate and reduces the


(OntLA.on.ca)

Ontario ag minister to get new powers on farm programs

Ontario’s minister of agriculture is expected to get direct authority to set up farm programming, as part of a legislative package resurrected from this spring to cut regulatory red tape. Provincial Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid on Tuesday reintroduced the Burden Reduction Act, a package of amendments meant to “reduce regulatory burdens and practices that