Gerry Ritz won’t be coming back to the House of Commons in September. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Shannon VanRaes)

Ex-agriculture minister Gerry Ritz quits Commons

Gerry Ritz, the federal minister for agriculture and agri-food for nine years in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, is done with federal politics. The MP for the western Saskatchewan riding of Battlefords-Lloydminster since 1997, Ritz announced via Twitter Thursday morning that he “will not be returning to my seat in the House of Commons this fall.” […] Read more

Lana Popham. (B.C. NDP via Flickr, license at Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

B.C. NDP’s ag critic named ag minister

The agriculture critic for British Columbia’s opposition New Democrats will be the minister of agriculture as the party takes the governing reins. Lana Popham, the MLA for the Vancouver Island riding of Saanich South, was named Tuesday as ag minister in Premier John Horgan’s cabinet. Horgan took over as premier after Christy Clark’s Liberals, who […] Read more



Quebec Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis. (MAPAQ.gouv.qc.ca)

No charges against Quebec’s ex-ag minister

Quebec’s director of prosecutions has decided not to pursue criminal charges against the province’s fired agriculture minister over allegations of “acts of a sexual character.” The province’s director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP) announced in a release Monday that the office was “not reasonably convinced” culpability could be proven against the provincial member for […] Read more


Nova Scotia’s incumbent agriculture minister Keith Colwell, shown here at left, will return to the legislature after Tuesday’s election. (NovaScotia.ca/agri)

Nova Scotia ag minister, critic keep seats in election

Nova Scotia’s incumbent agriculture minister and lead ag critic have both hung onto their seats in an election which saw the governing Liberals return to power with a slightly slimmer majority. Preliminary results from Tuesday’s election show Premier Stephen McNeil’s Liberals elected in 27 ridings — down from 34 at the government’s dissolution — followed […] Read more

Quebec Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis. (MAPAQ.gouv.qc.ca)

Quebec ag minister pulled from caucus

Quebec’s agriculture minister has been removed from the provincial government’s cabinet and caucus, the premier’s office said Thursday. In a short press release, Premier Philippe Couillard said he was informed Thursday evening that Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis is the subject of a police investigation. Given the circumstances, Paradis has been relieved of ministerial duties and […] Read more


Quebec Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis. (MAPAQ.gouv.qc.ca)

Quebec agriculture minister temporarily sidelined

Quebec’s agriculture minister Pierre Paradis is off work temporarily with what’s reported to be a concussion. Premier Philippe Couillard announced Wednesday that Paradis’ responsibilities as minister of agriculture, food and fisheries would temporarily go to Transport Minister Laurent Lessard. News outlets in Quebec including Radio Canada, La Presse and TVA reported Wednesday that Paradis had […] Read more




Stock Growers Association splits with SCA on traceability

News Roundup from the August 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

There was no shortage of issues to debate with 24 resolutions on the table during Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association’s 102nd AGM at Swift Current. Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart’s launch of the province’s online premises identification (PID) database during his address to open the conference didn’t sway members set against mandatory PID. They narrowly defeated a […] Read more