ITK president Obed says he and Minister LeBlanc have pledged ‘new course’ on Nutrition North redesign
Months after major Inuit organizations walked out of departmental consultations on revamping the northern food subsidy program, one Inuit leader says he and the new minister for northern affairs have “pledged to set a new course” on the program’s redesign. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) president Natan Obed said he and Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs Minister […]
Government inaction is a roadblock to building a sustainable economy for Nunavut
“There is no relationship more important to this government than our relationship with Indigenous people.” How often have I heard that said in the House as the prime minister and his cabinet ministers rise to answer questions on Indigenous issues? Nunavummiut can be forgiven for questioning their sincerity. In Nunavut we share a vision that […]
Minister LeBlanc says feds looking at ‘all options’ to cut food cost in the North
Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government is exploring different options to improve access to local “country” foods in the North, as work on redesigning the Nutrition North food subsidy program continues. In an email interview with The Hill Times, the veteran MP who is new to the role said the […]
Supply management benefits consumers, small family farms
Farmers and government created supply management more than 40 years ago to regulate perishable commodities such as eggs, poultry, and dairy products. Regulatory organizations set the price per unit based on the cost of production; control quality and safety by regulating the use of medicines; and prohibit the use of genetically modified hormones allowed in […]
The real perils of biotech
The public discussion about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) almost invariably focuses on bitter disputes about the safety of GMO crops. While many argue that the technology poses threats to natural systems and to human health, most research suggests that this is not the case. Still, peer-reviewed studies fall on both sides of the question. Given the […]
‘The conditions are ripe’: industry says it’s time for feds to consider a national bioeconomy strategy
With Canada’s biotechnology sector showing signs of new growth, industry advocates say it’s time the federal government consider a national biotech strategy, more than a decade after one created in 1998 was nixed by the Conservative government. In January 2018, the Public Policy Forum released a report recommending the creation of a national life sciences […]
Canada can do even more to boost aid to the world’s most needy
This year’s federal budget increased the baseline for humanitarian assistance to $738-million per year. This is very good news. The new base should improve predictability and timeliness in responding to humanitarian crises. More resources should also advance Canada’s efforts to promote gender-responsive humanitarian action in the implementation of the Feminist International Assistance Policy and increase […]
How Canada landed at the top of Trump’s trade-enemies list
OTTAWA—The uproar over milk pricing that morphed into the growing United States-Canada trade war began 18 months ago with a series of letters that appeared to put the livelihoods of some American dairy farmers at risk. About 75 Wisconsin and Minnesota dairy farms (out of the 40,219 in the U.S.) received a letter from milk […]
Ag industry issues important to track in uncertain economy
Re: “Politics This Morning: MacAulay sits down with G20 peers in Argentina; Hussen talks helping newcomers integrate,” (The Hill Times, July 26, online). I am, as an Alberta sugar beet grower anxious about the escalating trade disputes with the United States, glad to see The Hill Times highlight the important work of our agriculture minister […]
Why the world needs to pay more attention to land degradation
In Woldiya, in northern Ethiopia, a series of gullies scar the landscape. Where once there was farmland, land has eroded, opening up 10-metre-deep crevices, separating farmers from their fields and children from their schools. In 2013, the local government estimated that five hectares of gullies are formed in the community every year, equivalent to more […]
