Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

National Agriculture Leaders Debate: It Can Be Watched online. What Should They Discuss? What Did You Think of the Debate?

Agricultural issues such as trade, business risk management, environmental sustainability, food safety, and a National Food Strategy will be key topics of discussion for the Minister of Agriculture and opposition party critics during the Canadian Federation of Agriculture's national debate, scheduled for Mon. April 11, 2011. 
 
WHAT: 
CFA National Agriculture Leaders Debate
 
WHO: 
  • Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Gerry Ritz
  • André Bellavance, Bloq Québécois agriculture critic
  • Wayne Easter, Liberal agriculture critic 
  • Pat Martin, NDP representative
  • Kate Storey, Green Party agriculture representative
WHEN: 
Monday, April 11, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
 
Here is the link to the CFA website where it will be streamed.

Views: 92

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on April 12, 2011 at 1:15am

It took a couple of hours to watch the Agriculture Leaders debate.

I did find it to be entertaining but with out much substance.

The party ag leaders did make some points and presented some their party's agri platforms.

 

The NDP Ag Policy can be found in “Food for Thought.” Report.

Here is the link:   http://xfer.ndp.ca/FoodForThought/EN.pdf

 

The Green Party was particularly interesting - No to GMOs...they want small farms, local processing and more organic production.  I don't think their ag platform is very modern farm friendly.

 

All the parties were supportive of Supply Management.

 

Joe

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on April 12, 2011 at 2:00am

Here is the link to the online taped video of the Ag Leaders Debate.

 

http://www.cfa-fca.ca/national-agriculture-leaders-debate-live

Permalink Reply by John Schwartzentruber on April 12, 2011 at 2:04am

So how do you think the multinational processors would view the Green's position? As a bit of a threat to their dominance perhaps?

 

What might we learn from that?

 

Whatever one's view of the Green Party might be, if they propose something that would actually contribute to fair returns for work and goods produced rather than being paid subsistence value for generic, bulk commodities that enrich the remote multinationals, then they have at least that redemptive feature to their credit.

 

How well has the mainstream served the interests of  even the modern farm? And a fair answer would include the views of hog and cattle farmers.

 

Ritz was less than honest.

 

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Ont. farmer Tony McQuail reflects on NDP leadership race

The 73-year-old farmer and political veteran ran on themes of representation, regeneration, redistribution, and redesign.

Corn Acres Slide, Soybeans Gain as USDA Releases 2026 Planting Intentions

New USDA reports show U.S. producers planning fewer corn acres and more soybeans in 2026, alongside higher grain stocks compared to last year.

Estimate the functional sustainability and true costs of packaging

For growers and packers, packaging decisions have become more complex now that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation is rolling out in key markets in Canada. Ontario legislation, for example, went into force as of January 1, 2026.

Canola Crush Falls for Second Straight Month in February

The Canadian canola crush slowed for the second straight month in February but remained above the year-earlier level. A Statistics Canada report Tuesday pegged the February canola crush at 951,353 tonnes, down 9.7% from January although still up 7.8% from 882,610 in February 2025. It also marked the first time in six months the crush has dipped below the 1-million tonne mark. The high for the 2025-26 marketing year occurred in December 2025, with the crush hitting 1.077 million tonnes. The cumulative year-to-date 2025-26 canola crush (August to February) now stands at 7.066 million tonnes, compared to 6.812 million for the same period last year. That is up 3.7% and represents about 58% of the full-year Agriculture Canada forecast of 12 million tonnes. According to the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, total national canola crush capacity is expected to reach 15 million tonnes in 2026. Cargill’s new canola crush plant at Regina is estimated to process about 1 million ton

Preparing your farm for wildfire season

Considering that Canada borders three oceans, spans six time zones, and has diverse terrain, it’s no surprise that a range of natural hazards can affect farms across the country at any given time. While one part of the country may be in a severe drought, another may experience record floods. But regardless of the location, one hazard has become an all-too-common threat during the warmer months: wildfires. Just look at Canada’s 2023 wildfire season, which was the most destructive on record. By the end of 2023, more than 6,000 fires had burned 15 million hectares of land, which, to put it in perspective, is substantially more than the annual average of 2.5 million hectares. Which is why being prepared for wildfires, wherever you are, is essential. That’s exactly the message that FireSmart Canada, a national program that helps Canadians increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfire and minimize its negative impacts, wants to raise awareness about. Below are some of FireSmart Canada’s

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service