politics

As the proposed Bunge-Viterra merger makes it way through the regulatory approval process of the Competition Bureau, it was a featured topic of debate in the Saskatchewan Legislature Thursday. It surfaced in Question Period when NDP Ag Critic Trent Wotherspoon accused the SaskParty government of being silent over the file. Wotherspoon says he asked Agriculture […]

 The Legislature was in full reaction mode to speculation on Thursday that Farm Credit Canada might be about to move its head office out of Saskatchewan. The issue was raised in the Legislative Assembly by Sask United Leader Nadine Wilson, with her party putting out a statement that claimed that “multiple high-level sources have told Sask […]

Canada’s industry minister was defending the government’s actions on trying to force the country’s big grocers to help stabilize food prices.   The Commons Ag Committee is almost done studying the issue for a second time, and on Tuesday Francois Philip Champagne spent an hour trying to convince the committee, progress is being made. “This is […]

A private member’s bill that would provide relief for Canadian farmers from the federal carbon tax, on natural gas and propane used for grain drying, will likely dominate discussion on Parliament Hill as MP’s and Senators return to work Monday following the holiday break. Before the break, members of the Senate passed two amendments to […]

Multiple rounds of bi-lateral trade deal talks between Canada and the United Kingdom have hit a roadblock. On Thursday, the U.K. decided to suspend negotiations with Canada ahead of the next meeting in February, after Canada decided not to extend a special quota for U.K. cheese imports and country-of-origin rules – temporary measures put in […]

Bill C-234 is no longer in the hands of the senate. It’s now heading back to the house of commons with amendments tacked on that will have to be reviewed. There were the two amendments brought forward at committee to not include barn heating as part of the exemption and also to reduce the sunset […]

Extreme disappointment is the reaction around the agriculture community, as Bill C-234 was amended to remove the carbon tax exemption for natural gas and propane used to heat & cool barns and other farm buildings. It was a tight vote among Senators – 40 to 39 in favour of the amendment – and once it […]

Plenty of debate among Senators but no progress made on Bill C-234, an exemption of the carbon tax for natural gas and propane used for grain drying and heating & cooling of barns. The bill has been in third reading for weeks with some Senators wanting an amendment to exclude fuel used for heating and cooling farm […]

Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Donna Harpauer presented the 2023-24 Mid-Year Report, revealing that global market conditions, severe drought and potash market dynamics are key factors contributing to a forecasted deficit at mid-year. The Mid-Year Report outlined a deficit of $250.5 million, down $1.3 billion from the budget and $736.1 million from the first quarter. […]

The Wheat Growers want Ottawa to stop playing games with Bill C-234 and pass it. The bill that would exempt natural gas and propane used for grain drying and heating & cooling barns from the carbon tax is in 3rd reading in the Senate, but it’s faced delays and bickering from politicians on both sides […]