Research, business, government and transport, alongside producers themselves, spoke during last month’s Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan Policy Summit.

A common theme was a need for modernized policy and a rebalancing of priorities to better meet producer needs.

Govenment has already been engaging with producers, and has been hearing similar concerns.

“Producers want better support for competitiveness and market access and stability and responsive programs that reflect realities and risks that you face, as well as strong support for the next generation farmers,” Steven Jurgutis, Agriculture Canada’s director general of the policy, planning and integration directorate said via Zoom during the meeting.

The current Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) runs from 2023-28, and through federal-provincial-territorial agreements has provided $3.5 billion in programs and initiatives to support the five priority areas of the framework:

• Building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness
• Climate change and environment
• Science, research and innovation
• Market development and trade
• Resiliency and public trust

These were laid out in the Guelph Statement of 2021.

In July, the country’s agriculture ministers are set to meet in Halifax to create the policy statement for the new framework, which will be in place from 2028-33.

Producers say people are agriculture’s biggest risk

Chris Procyk, a grain farmer near Filmore, Sask., says the biggest risk to agriculture is the lack of people, noting a shortage of labour and farm support such as on farms and grain elevators, and availability of the next generation.

“Agriculture is still a people business, and we need lots of support and tech and whatnot … and transitioning some of the knowledge from one generation to the next, whether it’s on the farm or whether it’s through all the relationships we have,” he said during the producer panel.

His fellow panellists agreed and shared their own concerns about insufficient livestock knowledge within the labour force, ineffective risk management programs and a lack of support to the livestock sector.

Livestock producers say BRM gap is driving herd reductions

Adrienne Ivey, a grain and commercial beef producer near Ituna, Sask., said her operation is an example of the inadequate livestock support. They’ve always had beef and grain but have significantly downsized their beef herd while increasing the grain side.

“Very unfortunately, I believe that business risk management, and more specifically, the lack of business risk management on the livestock side of things, has been a huge determiner of why we have made that switch,” she said.

The lack of insurance options for livestock producter and income stabilization threaten beef operations in a way grain operations aren’t because of the diversity of support available.

Trevor Green, a cattle producer near Fleming, Sask., echoed the sentiment, saying he sees the lack of a “backstop” within BRM programs, such as production insurance, as one of the biggest risks.

“Some of the changes to AgriStability are definitely going to help,” he added.

“A few more that have been proposed would definitely help a lot more.”

Among the panellists, there was a shared worry about the promise from the various levels of government to continue programs and build off of them when there’s little to support the livestock sector as a whole, especially when compared to crops.

Program complexity frustrates producers across sectors

The additional challenge with the programs is their complexity and, oftentimes, inconsistencies.

“Some of these programs are so complex and convoluted that they’re a nightmare to understand,” Procyk said.

“And I think at any given time, many of us, whether you’re grain or livestock, want to understand where you’re sitting on any given day, given the conditions.”

There are aspects that are “counterintuitive”, such as being told to keep cattle seperate from grain within the operation,even though it’s benefical to keep everything together. In the new framework, Procyk wants to see simplifed language, consistent advice and standardized terms.

When it comes to the NPF as a whole, the producers said policy makers need to consider the potential issues that agriculture will face down the line to 2033 and not just to 2028.

Profitability, not more programs, is the goal

While BRM programs dominated the discussion, it was clear that counting on government isn’t the goal. Producers said the ultimate goal of the NPF shouldn’t be more BRM programs, but ways to ensure industry profitability and decrease vulnerability of risk.

Success of business is number one, but farmers don’t want to be left high and dry.

“I think that the best use of government funding … is to make sure that we have a healthy industry … so that the suite of business risk management tools that we have don’t need to be used,” Ivey said.

She said trade uncertainty is a significant weight on farmer’s minds and is why BRMs and other measures are needed.

“We still need backstops,” she added.

“Farming is a very capital heavy business, and we need to be able to invest that money with a little bit of stability behind it.”

Producers want agriculture recognized as an economic driver

Other considerations of the framework should include technology and research investments, farmland ownership and business transitions, such as improved timelines to provide farmers with new technology and research quicker.

However, even bigger is the recognition of agriculture’s economic value.

“We’re not just an industry. We’re an economic driver, provincially and federally,” said Procyk.

“We all know the stats of how many jobs are born out of ag or ag business…. Instead of looking at how much of this piece of the pie are we going to carve up, let’s make the pie bigger.”

He said if money is put into farmers’ hands, they will spend it on new equipment, animals and genetics and new methods that will circulate to agribusiness, research and product development and other industries.

Green said this can extend to Canadian food sovereignty, saying that in Saskatchewan alone, there are many opportunities.

“There are so many things we can expand in this province to add value to our products that we grow, like meat. We don’t have enough kill plants to buy beef locally. We don’t have enough pork plants to buy pork locally,” he said.

“We’re importing lettuce and tomatoes from Arizona when we have one of the largest greenhouses in Saskatchewan growing trees, which blows my mind.”

Panellists also asked government to take more feedback from producers themselves, rather than supplemental industry who may be louder than producers and their organizations.

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The strategy will support sustainable practices, improve data collection and strengthen the long-term resilience of Canada’s agricultural lands.

WHY IT MATTERS: A national soil health strategy is key to maintaining Canada’s strong global position in the agriculture industry as climate change threatens the sector.

MacDonald made the announcement alongside Senator Rob Black, who led a Senate study of soil published in the 2024 report “Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human and Social Health.”

Black said work could begin as early as April and be completed by December 2027. He said the strategy will avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and will include educational and financial support, peer-to-peer networks, and a position for a national soil health advocate.

The strategy will focus on collaboration and will identify gaps in research, measurement, education, and extension, said Alan Kruszel, the SCCC’s eastern producer director.

Alberta reaction

Roger Chevraux, a grain farmer near Killam, was involved with Black’s committee that worked on the soil report.

“The stuff that the Senate did back then was good. They reached out to several different farm groups, and they did have some testimony,” he said.

Chevraux said the strategy recognizes that Canadian farmers are already doing good work, including the widespread shift to zero-till and efforts to reduce erosion and build soil organic matter.

“I’m glad that Canada is taking some interest in soils across Canada, and they want to make sure it remains healthy for us, because it is so vital to our existence and to our farming and agriculture here in Canada,” he added.

A director with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission and the Canadian Grains Council, Chevraux is encouraged to see the government working with the SCCC and other partners across the sector.

“As long as they continue to reach out to different farm organizations and continue to do the work they’re going to do, I think it’s a good exercise for us to continue to recognize that our soil is critical for the Canadian economy and for (humankind) in general,” he said.

Questions about the strategy

Cheryl Westman, an agronomist who operates a mixed farm near Vermilion, more skeptical.

Her biggest concern is making sure people with the right knowledge and background are conducting the research — and that they consult directly with producers.

“Farmers in Alberta do a good job of trying to do the right things to keep our soil healthiest, and to make sure we’re not deteriorating it,” she said. “We’re good leaders on that. The improvement in our soil organic matter over the years is a testament to that.”

Westman wants to know who is involved, what the strategy will entail and what the end game is.

“The biggest concern is what’s the next rule that’s going to be coming down the line to us, and is it going to be workable?” she said.

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“Canada possesses significant agricultural potential, but legacy structures, regulatory fragmentation, aging infrastructure and heightened geopolitical trade risks are constraining the sector’s growth and competitiveness,” the report says.

“Rebuilding confidence among producers, investors and trading partners will require a clear, long-term vision for Canada’s agri-food system.”

The Canada West Foundation, a west-focused think tank, released Building Future Success: Growing Canada’s agricultural sector on February 19. It summarizes discussions from a roundtable of agriculture, business and government experts convened in late 2025.

It argues that the progress of Canadian agri-food as a priority depends on action across four interconnected themes:

• On-farm investment
• Market and product diversification
• Infrastructure
• Technology and innovation

On-farm investment

The report argues that Canada needs more small-scale investment opportunities, as most current infrastructure focuses on larger-scale projects. It also needs infrastructure upgrades to help mitigate the risks of climate change.

The report authors also note the opportunities with a new generation of producers.

“A generational shift is reinforcing this opportunity,” the report reads. “Younger producers are more open to partnerships, cooperative models and public-private collaboration.”

Agriculture could take lessons from early stages in energy project development, “particularly in co-investment models that enable shared infrastructure and de-risk private capital,” the report adds.

Market and product diversification

On market and product diversification, the report focuses on potential for new opportunities for Canadian commodities.

The roundtable identifies value-added processing as an area for potential development. They also emphasize the need for market intelligence to identify emerging opportunities for Canadian goods, both raw and processed.

Infrastructure

Roundtable participants raise concerns that Canada’s reputation as a trading partner suffering as a result of infrastructure decisions.

More representation from the sector could help address this problem.

“Moving forward, port governance and decision making should include engagement with representatives from the agriculture sector to ensure sectoral needs are considered as trade patterns and partners evolve,” the report says.

Technology and innovation

The report’s discussion on technology and innovation makes the case for increased research and development and for investments to focus on the sector as a whole.

Sector leaders raise concerns about the disconnect between research priorities and on-farm needs.

“Investments in the Canadian agricultural sector have generally been quite targeted and have not been focused on benefiting the sector as a whole,” the report says. “On the other hand, some other countries employ a more holistic, industry-wide approach.”

Industry protection starts with policy

The report makes a case for prioritizing agriculture in an era when trust in Canada’s two largest trading partners is decreasing.

Protecting the industry starts with domestic policy that recognizes the importance of the sector and “does not expect one industry to bear the brunt of geopolitical retaliation,” it says.

The report points to recent trade tensions with China, which saw canola tariffed in apparent response to Canada’s restrictions on Chinese electric vehicles. Some within the sector saw this as canola being used as collateral in a larger trade dispute.

“Regulatory frameworks that reflect this prioritization and are built in consultation with sector stakeholders could also help address some of the challenges the government has faced when weighing the economic, environmental and social impacts along with the benefits of the sector.”

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“On our farm in Alberta, resilience isn’t a buzzword. It’s a design principle. We’ve been building small, circular systems that integrate food, energy, carbon and data long before ‘regenerative’ became common language,” said Chris Perry in an LinkedIn post prior to his departure for Davos.

“The lesson has been clear: If something only works for one farm, it’s a pilot. If it works for many, it becomes infrastructure. When partnerships share risk, create real economics for farmers and stay long enough to learn together, adoption scales and resilience become real.”

WHY IT MATTERS: Southern Alberta networking and panel work at World Economic Forum puts Canada front and centre in international collaboration in agriculture.

Perry Family Farm near Chin, Alta., grows potatoes, green peas, sunflowers, seed canola, wheat and barley on its 5,000 acres. Invited by PepsiCo, Chris Perry said he is deeply honoured to meet among fellow agricultural world leaders and contribute on two connected conversations on two separate panels.

Partners in Possibility: Collaborating for Resilient Food Systems puts Perry alongside Jim Andrew, chief sustainability officer for PepsiCo, Andrew Walton, chief sustainability officer for Lloyds Banking Group, and Jan Christoph Kalbath, global head of sustainability and energy transition for Louis Dreyfus Co.

The discussion will focus on how collaboration across farmers, brands, finance and policy can move solutions from pilots to true infrastructure.

The Farmers First: Scaling a More Resilient Food System panel puts farmers at the centre of the conversation as partners shaping solutions.

Perry will be joined by:

• Thibaud Deschamps, a rapeseed farmer from France and part of the La Tricherie co-operative, known for sustainability leadership.

• Maria Vitória Vasconcelos, a third-generation corn grower from Brazil using agroforestry to build resilience, whose story is featured in National Geographic’s Food for Tomorrow series.

• Host Ramon Laguarta, chair and CEO of PepsiCo and moderator Jim Andrew.

“What makes this panel special is the intent behind it. To listen first. To acknowledge what works, what doesn’t and how we strengthen collaboration to scale what is already proving itself on farms around the world,” said Perry.

“Farmers invest in decades and generations, not financial quarters or election cycles. Bringing that mindset into global forums matters if we’re serious about food security, climate resilience and the future of farming. Grateful for the trust, proud to represent farmers and very much looking forward to the conversations ahead in Davos.”

It has been a whirlwind year for Perry Family Farms. Along with being invited to speak at the World Economic Forum, the farm has been featured in a Frito Lay potato chip commercial and took home the PepsiCo Farmer of the Year award.

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• The budget includes about $1 trillion in investment and posts a deficit over $78 billion.
• The government set a goal of doubling non-U.S. exports over 10 years.
• The federal government proposes to increase the AgriStability compensation rate to 90 per cent from 80 per cent and the payment cap per farm to $6 million from $3 million.
• The Advance Payments Program for canola will see $97.5 million spent over two years to increase the interest-free limit on advances to $500,000 for the 2025 and 2026 program years.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will wind down, streamline or realign some of its research to better fit government priorities. Agricultural Climate Solution Living Labs will be phased out.

The 2025 federal budget puts a hefty focus on trade diversification along with pledged investments into biofuel production and increased business risk management supports.

The “Canada Strong” budget is touted as a “plan to transform our economy from one that is reliant on a single trade partner, to one that is stronger, more self-sufficient, and more resilient to global shocks” in a federal news release.

It boasts some $1 trillion of investments. It also posts a $78.3 billion deficit.

Investments in transport and trade diversification

The Carney government pledged several efforts to guide Canadian exports, including agri-food, away from overreliance on the American market.

“Canada’s trade remains heavily concentrated with a single partner: the United States,” the budget document says. “At the same time, Canada has significant untapped potential to diversify its trade.”

The budget sets a goal to double non-U.S. exports over 10 years. It says this will generate $300 billion more in trade.

This goal includes a new strategic exports office at Global Affairs Canada, which aims to pave the way for Canadian companies and international business opportunities.

The Asia-Pacific region will be an area of particular focus for Canadian exports going forward, which the budget identifies as a “critical market for Canadian agriculture.”

The government pledged $5 billion over seven years toward a trade diversification corridors fund through Transport Canada, beginning in 2025-26.

It also promised an additional $68.5 million over four years to enhance CanExport, which encourages small and medium-sized businesses to find markets abroad by sharing the costs of international business development activities like legal expenses and market research.

Aside from Asia, the budget also promises new trade efforts in the European market, including $8 million over four years to Global Affairs Canada to deepen trade relationships with European partners, beginning in 2026-27. This same period will also see $20 million to enhance the agency’s capacity to negotiate and implement trade investment-related agreements.

Despite challenges from export markets, the budget notes Canada’s domestic-facing sectors have been faring well. It gives credit to Canadians intentionally redirecting spending to domestic industries.

Direct investments in agriculture programs

The budget promises to help Canada’s agriculture sector to “adapt and respond to economic challenges and a shifting trade environment, while positioning them to take advantage of new opportunities.”

One major investment is in the AgriStability program, where the compensation rate will be increased from 80 per cent to 90 per cent and the payment cap per farm raised from $3 million to $6 million. The government will also work to will identify barriers underrepresented groups face in accessing farm financing.

The Advance Payments Program for canola will see $97.5 million spent over two years to increase the interest-free limit on advances to $500,000 for the 2025 and 2026 program years. In September, the federal government announced it would temporarily increase the interest-free portion to $500,000 from $250,000 to help farmers facing market disruptions due to Chinese tariffs on canola.

The AgriMarketing program has $75 million earmarked to enhance diversification and promotion into new markets over five years, starting in 2026-27.

The biofuel sector will be another recipient of government investment. In a move telegraphed earlier this year, $372 million over two years will go to a Biofuels Production Incentive to support domestic biofuels producers beginning in 2026. This repurposes $175.2 million from the Clean Fuels Fund.

The government also said it intends to amend the Clean Fuel Regulations to support the domestic biofuels industry.

Changes within government bodies

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are set to see changes and streamlining.

AAFC will reorient programming, research and expenditures to better align with the government’s overall priorities. This will include phasing out programs outside the core mandate like the Agricultural Climate Solution Living Labs and reducing scientific activities where a “more streamlined approach can be taken.”

The budget proposes several measures withing CFIA to support increased food exports, including modernized trade tools to simplify processes and reduce the risk of errors and product safety concerns overseas.

CFIA will also receive $32.8 million over four years, beginning in 2026-27, to “secure, expand and restore market access for Canadian agriculture and agri-food, fish and seafood sectors,” including looking to other countries for new trade agreements and better market access.

Other investments and projects

The budget included several other projects and legislative changes which could support the agriculture sector. They include:

• An amendment to the Farm Credit Canada act which would require regular legislative reviews to ensure alignment with the needs of the agriculture and agri-food sector.
• “Winding down mechanisms to return direct fuel charge proceeds to Canadians, small- and medium-sized businesses, farmers, and Indigenous governments,” following the cancellation of consumer carbon pricing.
• Nation-building projects to expand trade corridors, including upgrades the Port of Churchill.
• Consideration to invest in projects like ports in Quebec, rail lines in Alberta and rail infrastructure on the West Coast.
• A proposed extension of the 2005 agricultural cooperative tax rules to apply in respect of eligible shares issued before the end of 2030.
• The Contrecoeur Terminal Container Project, which will expand the Port of Montreal’s capacity by approximately 60 per cent to boost Eastern Canada’s trading infrastructure, to be completed in the first round of major nation-building projects.

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Dickinson, founder and general partner of District Ventures Capital and mainstay on CBC ‘s Dragon’s Den, said the time is now for Canada to make agriculture and agri-food a critical sector.

She recently took a public-facing approach to Canadian agri-food and trade, including a self-funded trade mission to Asia, an op-ed on food security in the Globe and Mail and an appearance at the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute’s (CAPI) conference this week in Ottawa.

“Nothing but opportunity”

Dickinson’s interest in Canadian agri-food isn’t sudden; in fact, she’s been actively trying to advance the sector for years.

“I’ve been investing in the agri-food space for a decade,” Dickinson said, pointing to her business District Ventures Capital, which has invested close to $170 million in this space.

“I also started Canada’s first not for profit accelerator, run by an entrepreneur, to help businesses in early stages of starting up a food, beverage, health and wellness, (consumer packaged goods) business.”

What she’s observed over the course of time, she said, is the impact of external challenges, including those experienced through COVID, and “the lack of attention and prioritization that we have on farms and agri-food in Canada.”

With recent tariffs from the United States having an impact on producers, Dickinson said it’s become apparent to her Canada must look to other markets to allow production to scale.

“I’ve realized that there’s a big gap between funding innovation, market, knowledge of who we are, and opportunity being realized and capitalized on in the country.”

She pointed to a Farm Credit Canada (FCC) study which concluded Canada has the opportunity to diversify $12 billion worth of food and beverage exports to new markets.

“This is a gigantic economic opportunity for our nation, and we are looking at it for the first time because we have been complacent about sending our exports to the United States and taking that as a ready market. And now we do have to think about exporting it around the globe.”

She said her trip to Asia, which she undertook to understand export opportunities, opened her eyes to the reality of consumers in other markets looking for safe food from a trustworthy source.

“I look at it as an entrepreneur and see nothing but opportunity. And when there’s opportunity, you want to figure out how to pursue it.”

Dickinson suggested the need for a national agri-food brand to fill that demand.

In a panel discussion at the CAPI conference, she said she experienced lacking Canadian food presence ahead of a meeting on her trade trip.

“One of the things you want to do when you’re Asia is you want to take a gift,” she said. “Now, I didn’t think about that before I left. So, I went, I’m in Thailand, I’m in Bangkok. I’m going to go buy a Canadian gift of some sort, right? You want to represent the country. Do you think I could find anything? I could not find a thing in Thailand.”

Collective voice

To further this goal, she said groups and producers must present a unified voice for the sector.

“There’s a lot of lobbying and effort that goes on for individual groups,” she said. “There needs to be a collective voice in this space, and they need to come together more effectively in order to be heard.”

As for her own pitch for the sector, Dickinson didn’t propose any radical changes. Rather, she said Canada must act on the recommendations that already exist.

“There has been a lot of work done, whether it’s through groups coming together at roundtables, whether it’s through consultation with the industry, whether it’s through hiring consultants who come in and help us understand it,” she said.

“Over decades, the same, exact list of things that have to be done for the sector to be able to grow are brought forward, and nothing’s been acted on.”

“My pitch is, if we don’t do that, the risk to Canadians is huge, the risk to us, to our health, to our prosperity, to our ability to innovate and grow our economy significantly, are off the table if we lose our food.”

This includes increased investments and making agriculture and agri-food a critical sector.

“My pitch would be this is absolutely a marketplace and an industry and a sector that needs full attention and can provide gigantic return profiles to our country, not just financially, but from a social perspective as well.

“So, it really hits all the buttons. Why wouldn’t you invest in it?”

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The Alberta Beef Producers announced earlier this summer its intent to withdraw from the Canadian Cattle Association by next July, stemming from issues with the national organization’s governance structure.

Davies said it’s the part of a long history of western agricultural alienation, including debates over the former Canadian Wheat Board and the current retaliatory tariff war going on with China over canola and electric vehicle tariffs.

“Alberta and Saskatchewan supplies, I think, over half of the beef exports in Canada. It’s those policies we continue to see come out of the East. We’ve got a situation in Canada where interested elites come up with ideas from their ivory towers that the rest of us here in the West have to live and operate and feed our families under those policies that are completely out of step and misguided,” said Davies.

“So when we look at independence as the Republican Party of Alberta, we’re looking at being able to have Made in Alberta solutions to our challenges, not dictated to us by by Ottawa and liberal power brokers back East. So that’s one of the first benefits. The second would be our ability to negotiate our own trade agreements, whether that be with the United States, South Korea, Japan, producers around the world where Alberta being able to have access to markets around the world that they don’t currently have.”

He said the West’s influence in its oil production and agricultural output gives Alberta the clout to make its own decisions, whether that be foreign policy or international relations.

“For the first time, put Alberta producers and farmers first, which is where it should be. But Ottawa doesn’t look at it that way. It’s taking on Alberta-First approaches is what our party is committed to.”

Davies said his party has little interest in the current court case about whether the proposed Alberta referendum question on separation is constitutional.

“I don’t think the courts are going to permit the petition to call fora referendum to go forward, but we’ve been consistent in our position from Day One — the Alberta government can and should schedule a legislatively binding referendum on independence, and let Albertans have their say, whether you’re on the yes side or the no side. That’s something that the premier can do at any point in time with an order in council — legislature can vote on it. It does not require a petition,” he said.

“The petition is a bit of a, let’s call it a make work project for those who want independence. It’s meant to delay, stall and deflate the movement. We’re not playing that game. Every referendum in Canada that’s gone to the public has been initiated by government. That’s a fact. We’re not interested in chasing a never ending goal post of a petition to force a referendum. We’re just calling on the government to do the right thing, listen to the people. It’s a big enough issue in Alberta, listen to the people and let’s have a vote on it and let the chips fall where they may.”

He said the challenges faced by landlocked country’s are not unique to an independent Alberta.

He argued that Alberta’s large oil producer status would give it leverage in negotiations for access to ports, whether it was Vancouver or Seattle.

“There’s no real reason to reinvent the wheel. I think it’s situational. There’s different arguments for access for pipelines versus arguments for our access for shipping grain, cattle and agricultural products. But, international law has set precedence on all of those items. As one of the largest oil and gas producers in the world, Alberta is uniquely positioned to have immense leverage to negotiate international access to market and international access to tidewater than most of the countries in the world who have already done so,” he said.

“Switzerland, as an example, used their position of being a World Bank-type economy to say we need access to our agriculture markets as well, primarily dairy and various products. Paraguay had similar challenges with their beef market. There was a ruling back in the ‘80s, that Paraguay was able to negotiate through international access to tidewater arguments and precedence that gave (them) access to market.”

He said Alberta’s economy relies heavily on trade, especially in energy and agriculture, and establishing embassies and trade offices abroad would be essential to promote its commerce and build new international partnerships.

Davies said he hopes for an amicable split between Canada and Alberta if independence were to be achieved through mutually beneficial trade agreements and access to ports, but added Alberta holds powerful cards if that didn’t happen.

“When it comes to pipelines, British Columbia decided they wanted to restrict our access to market. Alberta has tools in our toolbox, too. If Canada wanted to continue to limit our ability to earn a living and develop our resources and our economy, restrict our market access, those would be issues that would be taken to the international stage instead of Canadian courts that continually rule against our producers,” said Davies.

“If British Columbia wanted to make things very challenging for Alberta to use their ports at exorbitant prices that we don’t currently pay, Alberta and B.C. are separated by the Rockies. If we were to place a toll on every container that came from the ports of Vancouver, those ports would shut down pretty quick. So two can play that game. International trade wars play both ways. I don’t think that’s a scenario we want to see, and I think Canada doesn’t wants to see that either.”

The Republican Party of Alberta was founded in 2022 as the Buffalo Party of Alberta and adopted its current name in February 2025. As of this past June, the party claims to have 24,000 members.

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The caucus meeting identified nine changes to boost the national economy to be advocated to Prime Minister Mark Carney, with some including gaining full access to energy corridors across the nation, repealing Bill C-69, lifting the tanker ban off the B.C. coast, eliminating the oil and gas emissions cap, scrapping net zero regulations, ending the designation of plastics as toxic and returning the oversight of carbon taxes to the provinces.

‘Ottawa should stop interfering’

“We are here today as a united caucus because we have decided enough is enough. Development of provincial resources is a provincial responsibility and that includes the development of our transmission and electricity grids,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith at the follow-up press conference.

“Ottawa should stop interfering because we believe Alberta and Saskatchewan have an opportunity to speak with one voice outlining the vision for our country, and we can call for a country that works for all of us.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe brought up Bill C-5 as proof of the need to legislate around current cumbersome regulatory processes.

“It’s an admission this hard work does have to happen. We have been supportive in prioritizing projects in the short term, which is really a stop gap to fixing the entirety of the regulatory process that we have in Canada, so that all projects can move forward,” said Moe.

Need for port-to-port corridor

“In Saskatchewan we don’t have one, or two or three projects that are a priority, we have literally in excess of 100 projects.”

The premiers echoed the importance of a port-to-port corridor connecting Western Canada to Hudson Bay for accessing Asian and European markets, which would benefit both provinces by increasing oil prices, freeing up rail capacity and enhancing egress to the U.S. The initiative aims to create long-term wealth for centuries, and strategic advantages for Canada.

“That opportunity has to be for all products,” said Moe.

Improving access with the national corridor would free up rail capacity for agri-food products, including potash, for Alberta and Saskatchewan. Approximately 94 per cent of Canada’s grain exports are transported by rail, with 75 per cent of the fertilizer produced and used in Canada moved by rail.

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The arguments presented to Justices Roberts, Miller and Zarnett in the Ontario Court of Appeals revolved around the legislative intent and constitutionality of false pretenses within Ontario’s Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act (STPFSA), 2020.

Why it matters: On April 2, 2024, Superior Court Judge Koehnen ruled that specific provisions within the Act violate the right of freedom of expression under the Charter of Rights, declaring them to have no force or effect.

In 2022, Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice, advocate Jessica Scott-Reid, and Toronto Cow Save organizer Louise Jorgensen challenged the constitutionality of new animal welfare legislation aimed at preventing activist disruptions and protecting farms from trespassing.

Arden Beddoes, a litigator for Scott-Reid and Jorgensen, argued that the Act infringes on freedom of expression under Section 2(b) of the Charter by focusing on the aspect of false pretenses rather than the value of the undercover exposé.

“There is no property right to the truth, the Absolute Truth, from everyone who seeks ingress,” argued Beddoes. “Under state laws enacted in this province, you only vitiate the consent because of this law. It’s not in the Trespass Act.”

Justice Zarnett pushed back, arguing the Trespass Act is procedural, dealing with remedies, not the relationship of trespass, which is established in common law, not the Trespass Act.

“But for the exposés, there would be no (STPFSA) law. That is the case,” volleyed Beddoes.

To which Justice Roberts replied, “But for the trespass, there would be no law,” questioning whether the deceit and the consent are inextricably intertwined to impair the validity of consent.

Justice Zarnett asked if the law’s “new” aspect was making something a trespass or establishing a provincial offence in those circumstances, which would otherwise only be actionable in a civil court.

“This is how you stop investigations, private investigations, investigative journalism, much of which, or a significant portion of which, could require investigatory deception,” Beddoes said, adding investigatory deceptions are protected under Section 2(b).

“They contribute to a marketplace of ideas from which people like Ms. Scott Reid draw, from which researchers may draw, on these important issues about how humans treat animals.”

Robin Basu, counsel to the Attorney General, stated that between 2007 and 2020, only 16 undercover exposés were published. He suggested that the COVID-19 restrictions from 2021 to 2022 limited undercover exposés more than STPFSA’s enforcement from 2020 to May 2024.

“(The Respondents) can’t say there were no undercover investigations when the law was enforced because we don’t know,” argued Basu. “There’s no evidence in the record that there were none. All we know is that the claimants say, we’re aware of no exposés being published.”

He added that evidence shows animal rights groups often defer reporting to authorities to prolong the collection of visceral footage, without producing an exposé.

Frederick Schumann, Animal Justice representative, stated that the journalist and whistleblower exceptions are too narrow.

“The person must be a journalist when they obtain the consent,” said Schumann.

A person working with an animal advocacy organization on an investigative exposé is not a journalist, nor are they considered an employee at the time they use false representation to gain employment, he explained.

“Neither the journalist exception nor the whistleblower exception is of assistance to them,” Schumann argued, even if they provide material to a media organization, law enforcement or regulatory body.

“It’s excluding, fundamentally, the animal advocacy organization from carrying out the exposé because their primary function is not to disseminate information to the public.”

In his rebuttal, Basu suggested, “There is no obstacle to Animal Justice setting up a subsidiary that is dedicated, or the primary function is the dissemination of information to the public.”

STPFSA targets trespass, not speech, said Basu, and Section 2(b) doesn’t mandate that free expression must secure genuine consent to enter a property, nor do civil consequences narrow constitutional protections.

“My friend said, ‘You can’t lie on your resume under this statute.’ You can lie on your resume,” explained Basu. “You just can’t do it, and when that lie successfully dupes somebody, then enter the farm.”

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The 2025 inductees include John Anderson, Dori Gingera-Beauchemin, Gaétan Desroches, Joe Hudson, Dennis Laycraft and Peter Sikkema, according to a June 16 press release.

“As our industry continues to innovate and advance, it’s important to reflect and recognize the lifetime contributions these individuals have made to strengthening the world-class agri-food industry we enjoy in Canada,” said hall of fame chair Phil Boyd.

Why it matters: Every year, the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame recognizes people who have helped Canada’s agriculture sector grow and improve.

This year’s inductees can claim groundbreaking work across primary production, food and value-added retail, involvement in commodity organizations, policy making, research and extension and co-operatives, Boyd said.

John Anderson, a west Vancouver resident nominated by former B.C. judge and provincial cabinet member Wally Oppal, spent five decades building his company, Oppy, into a global fresh produce retail business. Starting in the company’s warehouse, he eventually became chief executive officer and transformed the organization through sustainable agriculture practices and community-focused initiatives, the release said.

Dori Gingera-Beauchemin, who lives in Ile Des Chenes, Man., is best known in Manitoba as the province’s long-serving deputy agriculture minister before retiring in 2023. She has continued her agricultural advocacy in retirement, the June 16 release noted. She was nominated by consulting firm Emerging Ag Inc. for her work in sustainable development and policy creation that supported Canadian farm communities.

Quebec’s Gaétan Desroches led Sollio Cooperative Group, Canada’s largest agricultural co-operative, for more than four decades. The Morin-Heights resident, nominated by Sollio Cooperative Group, guided the organization through mergers and helped modernize their operational model.

Joe Hudson, who lived in Brockville, Ont., founded and led Burnbrae Farms, now Canada’s largest family-owned integrated egg producer, for nearly 60 years. Egg Farmers of Canada nominated Hudson

Dennis Laycraft, a Calgary resident nominated by the Canadian Cattle Association, has spent 40 years championing Canada’s beef industry. His leadership has focused on market development, trade competitiveness and building export capacity for Canadian beef, the release said.

Peter Sikkema from Ridgetown, Ont., spent his career as a weed scientist at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. Nominated by Grain Farmers of Ontario, he gained international recognition for his research on herbicide-resistant weeds and practical weed management programs.

The induction ceremony will take place Saturday, Nov. 8, in Victoria, B.C.

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