John Barlow, MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, was named Wednesday as the Conservatives’ “shadow minister” for agriculture, agri-food and food security.

Pierre Poilievre, who was named Sept. 10 as the official opposition party’s new leader, named Barlow to a shadow cabinet of 51 shadow ministers and 20 associate shadow ministers from a 118-member caucus.

Barlow — who in February announced his endorsement for Poilievre’s leadership bid — is no stranger to the agriculture file, having served as then-leader Andrew Scheer’s associate ag critic (2017-18) and lead ag critic (2019-20).

The party’s next leader, Erin O’Toole, dropped Barlow from the shadow cabinet in September 2020 — replacing him with southwestern Ontario MP Lianne Rood — but then brought Barlow back as ag critic last November.

(Rood is also in Poilievre’s shadow cabinet, as his critic for the feds’ regional development agencies operating in southern, central and eastern Ontario.)

Born in Regina, Barlow worked as a newspaper editor in southern Alberta before entering politics. He came to the Commons in 2014 in a byelection for the riding then known as Macleod, replacing Ted Menzies following the latter’s resignation in 2013, and has since been re-elected three times in what’s now Foothills.

Poilievre’s shadow cabinet also gives Barlow two associate shadow ministers for agriculture. One, Richard Lehoux, MP for the Quebec riding of Beauce, previously served as an associate ag critic for Scheer and deputy ag critic for O’Toole.

Lehoux, a dairy producer before entering federal politics, served as mayor (1998-2017) of Saint-Elzear, about 60 km south of Quebec City, as reeve (2000-17) for the regional county municipality (MRC) of Nouvelle-Beauce and as president (2014-17) of the Federation Quebecoise des municipalites (FQM).

The second new associate shadow minister is Warren Steinley, MP for the largely suburban riding of Regina-Lewvan, who until this week was the party’s critic for Prairie economic development and interprovincial trade.

Steinley, who grew up on a dairy and beef operation at Rush Lake, northeast of Swift Current, came to the Commons in 2019 off an eight-year run as a provincial MLA for the governing Saskatchewan Party. He previously served as an intern to the federal agriculture minister and later as director of research for the Saskatchewan Party caucus office.

Other appointees to Poilievre’s shadow cabinet of interest to farmers include B.C. MP Mark Strahl (transport, with associate critic Dan Muys), Quebec MP Gerard Deltell (environment, with associate critic Robert Kitchen), Ontario MP Michael Chong (foreign affairs), Ontario MP Kyle Seeback (international trade) and Edmonton MP Matt Jeneroux (supply chain issues).

Poilievre, in Wednesday’s release, pledged his shadow cabinet would fight tax hikes and “tackle the cost-of-living crisis so that young people can buy a home, families can afford nutritious food, and our seniors can retire with dignity.” — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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During the May 5 online meeting, Quebec MP Richard Lehoux, the Conservatives’ associate agriculture critic, charged the $100 million made available to help livestock producers deal with pandemic-related processing delays was not enough to cover producer costs, particularly if hog producers were forced to destroy animals.

Addressing the committee, Chris Forbes, deputy minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), cited the $77.5 million federal commitment to equip processors and others in the sector with the personal protective equipment required to keep operating as another way in which government was responding to the issue.

A launch for the purchasing program will happen “as quickly as possible,” he said.

The amount of money was “disappointing” to Bloc Quebecois ag critic Yves Perron, who contrasted Canada’s response to the aid package being offered to U.S. producers.

Perron joined several MPs on the committee in criticizing the government’s decision to largely work within existing business risk management (BRM) frameworks and programs, saying they don’t work for most producers and improvements are urgently needed.

NDP ag critic Alistair MacGregor, the lone New Democrat on the ag committee, asked how long the federal government expected the announced funding to last.

Forbes said he expected the $100 million dedicated to set-asides to be spent in the coming months, but added there was no specific timeline yet for the $50 million dedicated to buying surplus food.

The goal, he said, was simply to ensure the funding was out the door and in the hands of the industry as soon as possible.

MacGregor pointed out the $252 million being offered was less than 10 per cent of what was asked of Ottawa by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA).

Alberta MP Gerald Soroka, another Conservative member on the ag committee, took aim at the $125 million announced for AgriRecovery, a framework in which provinces and the federal government cost-share coverage of losses associated with natural disasters.

The federal government has committed to covering its 60 per cent share of the costs — and announced the program criteria have been adjusted to cover 90 per cent of farmers’ eligible expenses, up from 70 per cent — even if provinces chose not to pay for their portion.

But Soroka argued AgriRecovery is always funded for $125 million and criticized the federal government for presenting it as “new money” to the public.

Forbes made clear AAFC regularly budgets, and has the authority to spend, $125 million, but said that money was not being spent.

“We’re announcing effectively that we’ll make all of that available if needed, starting with the beef and pork ranchers and farmers, and then if needed in other areas,” he said.

The May 5 meeting was the first of a series of Commons committee sessions to take place via video conferencing.

While there were some challenges with translations and connections throughout, MPs expect to continue to meet online as official Ottawa remains largely shut down due to the pandemic.

— D.C. Fraser reports for Glacier FarmMedia from Ottawa.

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Rachel Notley, leader of the province’s opposition New Democrats, on Monday announced her shadow cabinet and named Lorne Dach, MLA for Edmonton-McClung, as the party’s ag critic.

Dach came to the legislature in the 2015 election with a political science degree and about 30 years’ experience as a real estate broker.

Before entering provincial politics Dach also served on the board of homeEd, the city’s non-profit housing corporation, and as a volunteer probation officer with the Alberta solicitor general’s court intake unit.

During the NDP’s term in government, Dach served as deputy chair of the standing committee on public accounts and deputy chair of the standing committee on legislative offices.

In the province’s April 16 election, Dach held his west Edmonton riding by a margin of over 1,400 votes against United Conservative challenger Laurie Mozeson — and by over 4,400 votes against Alberta Party leader and former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel.

As ag critic, Dach will face Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Devin Dreeshen, who Premier Jason Kenney named April 30 as agriculture and forestry minister, when the legislature reconvenes May 21.

Other shadow cabinet appointments relevant to the agriculture file include Edmonton MLAs Marlin Schmidt as environment critic, Rod Loyola as transportation critic and Thomas Dang as infrastructure critic, and Calgary MLA Joe Ceci as municipal affairs critic. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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Andrew Scheer, elected in May as the Tories’ new leader, on Wednesday announced his first shadow cabinet with Luc Berthold, the MP for Megantic-L’Erable, as agriculture and agri-food critic and John Barlow, MP for the southwestern Alberta riding of Foothills, as associate ag critic.

When the House of Commons resumes sitting Sept. 18, Berthold replaces southwestern Saskatchewan MP David Anderson as agriculture critic.

Neither Anderson nor Gerry Ritz — a fellow Saskatchewan MP and the Tories’ last agriculture minister in Stephen Harper’s government — were named to Scheer’s shadow cabinet Wednesday. Chris Warkentin, the ag critic before Anderson, remains in his post as deputy opposition House leader and question period co-ordinator.

Berthold, a leadership coach and trainer since 2013, came into federal politics in the October 2015 election, winning the seat held since 2006 by Christian Paradis, a Tory cabinet minister — including a stint as minister of state for agriculture — who opted not to run again.

Berthold, whose riding includes the communities of Thetford Mines and Lac Megantic, served as an assistant critic for infrastructure and communities and, from last October until now, as an assistant critic for transport and rail safety.

Before entering politics Berthold worked as a reporter for Thetford Mines radio station CKLD (now Passion 105.5) and as an editor for the community’s Courrier Frontenac newspaper before becoming a press attache for provincial Liberal MNA Nathalie Normandeau.

After the Quebec Liberals regained government in 2003, Berthold gradually levelled up to interim communications director for the party. He also entered local politics in 2006 when he was elected mayor of Thetford Mines, a post from which he stepped down in 2013.

Barlow, the new associate ag critic, grew up in the Regina area and also worked as a journalist and editor, at Alberta newspapers including the High River Times and the Okotoks Western Wheel.

Barlow later became senior editor for the southern Alberta region for Great West Newspapers (a joint venture between Jamison Newspapers and Glacier Media, owner of this website) before entering federal politics in June 2014, winning a byelection to replace retiring Tory MP Ted Menzies in what was then the Macleod riding.

Barlow held the riding, now renamed Foothills, for the Tories in 2015 and served from last October until now as the party’s critic for interprovincial trade. He also served as vice-chair for the Commons standing committee on natural resources.

Describing the overall critics’ cabinet as “united, energized and diverse,” Scheer said Wednesday the party will “arrive in Ottawa in the fall with one clear message to Canadians: that we are ready to form the next government of Canada.”

Among other portfolios of interest to farmers, Ontario MP Dean Allison will be Scheer’s critic for international trade; Saskatchewan MP Kelly Block, for transport; Abbotsford MP Ed Fast, environment and climate change; and British Columbia MP Dan Albas, for small business. — AGCanada.com Network

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Little Bow MLA Ian Donovan announced his defection from the Wildrose on Monday to the Progressive Conservatives alongside Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Kerry Towle, Wildrose’s critic for human services and seniors.

“In order to maintain my integrity, I feel I can best represent my constituents as a member of Premier Jim Prentice’s team,” Donovan said in a release Monday.

“Over the past few months, it has been increasingly difficult to follow the direction of the Wildrose caucus. I have also been impressed by the new management of this government and the premier’s understanding of the needs of southern Alberta.”

Donovan, a grain grower at Mossleigh, and a former director of the Blackie Seed Cleaning Association, entered municipal politics at age 19 as a Vulcan County councillor and won the Wildrose party nomination in 2010.

He became Little Bow’s MLA in April 2012, defeating Tory candidate and former Chicken Farmers of Canada chairman John Kolk. Wildrose leader Danielle Smith named Donovan as ag critic following the election.

Towle, an associate real estate broker before entering provincial politics in 2012, previously worked with her husband raising turkeys for five years (2003-08).

“After a period of reflection and discussion with family, friends and constituents, I have come to the conclusion that Premier Jim Prentice is offering the leadership that Alberta needs right now,” she said in the same release.

Prentice described Donovan and Towle as “hard-working and dedicated conservative MLAs who entered politics for the right reasons — they are passionate about improving the lives of Albertans. Kerry and Ian are strong constituency representatives who will be effective members of the government caucus.”

Wildrose had not yet named replacements in either critic post by late Monday. — AGCanada.com Network

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Frank Valeriote, the MP for Guelph since 2008, announced Friday he will remain until the next federal election, set for Oct. 19 next year.

Valeriote didn’t say specifically in his statement what he plans to do after the 2015 election, other than to “find new outlets for being of service to the people of Guelph while spending good quality time with my children.”

Currently Justin Trudeau’s deputy party whip and critic for veterans’ affairs, Valeriote was Rae’s critic for agriculture and agri-food, rural affairs and the Canadian Wheat Board from June 2011 until August last year.

During his stint as ag critic he was also vice-chair of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food, on which he’d previously sat as a member since 2009.

Valeriote was also named in 2011 to the Commons legislative committee on Bill C-18, the legislation by which the Conservative government deregulated the CWB’s single marketing desk for Prairie wheat and barley.

A lawyer by profession, Valeriote was a trustee and later chair of the Wellington District Catholic School Board before his move to federal politics in 2008.

Valeriote, 60, said Friday that, after his separation from his wife last year, “we committed to one another that the needs of (their children) Olivia and Dominic would always come first. I’m not getting any younger, and neither are they.

“I feel it is as important, to be there in a meaningful way at their millionth step as they enter their teenage years as it was to see their first step.” — AGCanada.com Network

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