AIC’s Parliamentary Updates brings you weekly summaries and analysis of what’s happening on Parliament Hill that is relevant to the agriculture and agricultural research community.
Thursday, 07 December 2023
Government Announcements
December 4 – Minister MacAulay announces inaugural Executive Director of new Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced the appointment of Diedrah Kelly as Executive Director of Canada’s new Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) in Manila, Philippines. For more information, click here.
December 7 – Ministers MacAulay and Lamontagne encourage all industry members to sign the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct. The Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Quebec’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) issued a statement regarding the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct. For more information, click here.
House of Commons and Senate Proceedings
Mr. Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands, Lib.) asks that the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a national school food program through budget 2024 for implementation in schools by fall 2024.
Last Week’s Top Stories
Government Announcements
November 24 – Canada, British Columbia supporting British Columbia farmers with access to technology. The new B.C. On-Farm Technology Adoption Program will provide as much as $3 million over the next two years from the governments of Canada and British Columbia. The program will provide immediate assistance to B.C. farmers so they can access on-farm technologies and innovations to help deal with the effects of labour shortages and operational cost increases due to inflation and supply-chain disruptions. Applications for first year of the program will open on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023, and will be accepted until Dec. 22, 2023, or until funds are fully allocated. For more information, click here.
November 24 – Governments strengthening agriculture and food sector in Northern Ontario. The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $1.65 million over 5 years to support research programming, knowledge transfer and the operations and management of the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS). The research will focus on areas such as best management practices for Northern agriculture, soil health, environmental sustainability, and climate change, as well as research and knowledge co-developed with Indigenous researchers and communities. For more information, click here.
November 27 – Ontario Modernizing Agri-Food Research. The Ontario government is updating legislation to strengthen the agriculture and food industry through research and innovation. Changes to the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario Act (ARIO) would, if passed, broaden the scope of research in Ontario to help the agri-food industry stay on the cutting edge of best production practices and implement new technologies and innovative techniques that will increase the competitiveness and productivity of the sector. For more information, click here.
November 27 – Enhancing mental health supports for farmers and ranchers. The Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta is receiving $388,500 to generate awareness and expand mental health research and supports available to farmers through AgKnow. This funding will build on the work AgKnow is doing to raise awareness and support mental health. This includes developing, promoting and delivering:
- More evidence-based mental health programs, tools and learning resources to help farm families and farming communities thrive
- Education and learning resources to help therapists, health care providers and community service organizations understand farm culture, the issues farmers face and the supports available to address mental health concerns
For more information, click here.
House of Commons and Senate Proceedings
Mr. Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands, Lib.) asks that the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a national school food program through budget 2024 for implementation in schools by fall 2024.