Lobbying watchdog says glitch in system skewed volume of registrations
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tenure in office has undoubtedly brought a surge in lobbying activity, but a glitch in the registry’s system resulted in an overrepresentation of the number of lobbyists actively registered, says the commissioner. In its 2018 annual report, the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying (OCL) indicated there were 9,084 lobbyists registered […]
In the push for women’s empowerment, rural women can’t be left behind
Globally, the momentum for gender equality and justice is growing. Nowhere was this more evident than at the Women Deliver conference, where more than 8,000 leaders, advocates, and experts from around the world gathered in Vancouver from June 3 to 6 to fight for women’s empowerment. Canada is building on and advancing this greater global […]
Northern Canada facing the climate change challenge in practical, culturally meaningful ways
The threat of climate change to property and infrastructure has become increasingly apparent to Canadians. With increasing intensity and frequency, forest fires and floods are having a devastating impact on all kinds of communities, whether rural or urban. But imagine a world where climate change puts your way of life and cultural identity at risk. […]
‘The model doesn’t make any sense’: Senators, Inuit orgs call for Nutrition North transformation
A federal program that subsidizes the cost of sending perishable food to remote communities has a “model that doesn’t make any sense” for northerners, according to Senators who live in the territories and the organizations that represent their communities. Following a new study that questioned the effectiveness in the program in Nunavut, some hope that […]
Untying food aid in Canada: policy matters
When Cyclone Idai devastated crops in Mozambique and neighbouring countries in March, humanitarian agencies rushed in to supply food to the cyclone victims, sourcing that food from farming areas close to the disaster. That practice—local sourcing for food aid—is a relatively new development in the humanitarian field. Before 2008, Canada’s food aid was almost all […]
New agriculture minister Bibeau most lobbied in first month on the job
In her first month as Agriculture Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau was the most lobbied in cabinet, according to March filings in the federal lobbying registry. In meetings spread throughout the month, she spoke to 17 different groups and was mentioned in 19 reports. It continues the trend of Ms. Bibeau (Compton-Stanstead, Que.) meeting with more organizations […]
Let’s ditch the silos: towards an integrated agri-food policy framework
The Canadian government has identified the agriculture and agri-food sector as an engine of growth, with some pretty ambitious targets over the next decade. The 2017 Barton Report by the government’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth proposed that Canada should boost its agriculture exports by $11-billion and its agri-food exports by $19-billion by 2027. The […]
Liberals propose national school meal program as Canada remains back of pack on children’s nutrition
The Liberal government has proposed creating a national school meal program, which, if implemented, would see Canada join most other advanced economies in the world in having a countrywide school food initiative. In yesterday’s federal budget, the government announced its “intention to work with provinces and territories towards the creation of a National School Food […]
Trudeau team’s legacy on agriculture will be market access gains, says Minister Bibeau
After four years in government, the Trudeau Liberals’ biggest enduring legacy on Canada’s agricultural sector will be increased market access abroad, says newly appointed Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s (Papineau, Que.) government has ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which will open market access in 11 countries. It […]
Agriculture spending in 2019 budget
The 2019 federal budget offers new spending for the agriculture and agri-food sector worth almost $4-billion going forward. The highlights: A Food Policy For Canada The Liberal government is proposing a four-pronged food strategy that will attempt to increase Canadians’ access to healthy foods, promote domestically grown and harvested food, support food security in the […]
