Point de presse de M. François Legault, chef du deuxième groupe d’opposition, et M. André Andre Lamontagne, shown here at left at a press conference in May 2017 with CAQ leader Francois Legault, is Quebec’s new agriculture minister. (Video screengrab from AssNat.qc.ca)

CAQ taps businessman as Quebec’s new ag minister

Quebec’s new governing party has turned to one of its more experienced MNAs to handle the farm file. Premier Francois Legault on Thursday named Andre Lamontagne, a businessman and former supermarket owner and the MNA for the southwestern riding of Johnson, as his minister of agriculture, fisheries and food, and as minister responsible for the […] Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Oct. 9, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Leah Millis)

Trump raises ethanol use in gasoline, appeases farmers ahead of elections

Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump launched an effort on Tuesday to increase ethanol use in the nation’s gasoline pool, delivering a long-sought political victory to the nation’s Farm Belt and angering oil refiners ahead of November’s congressional elections. Trump announced the lifting of a ban on summer sales of gasoline blended with […] Read more


CAQ leader Francois Legault shakes hands with supporters in Quebec City on Oct. 1, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Chris Wattie)

CAQ’s ag critic among winners in Quebec election

The agriculture critic for Francois Legault’s Coalition avenir Quebec (CAQ) will be among the party’s returning MNAs as it forms Quebec’s next government. The CAQ pulled a majority government in Monday’s election with 74 seats, defeating Philippe Couillard’s Liberals, who were reduced to 32 seats, followed by Quebec solidaire with 10 seats and the Parti […] Read more

(Video screengrab from Mapaq.gouv.qc.ca)

Quebec ag minister won’t run again

With just under four months before the province’s next election, Quebec’s current minister of agriculture, food and fisheries won’t be in the running. Laurent Lessard ended weeks of speculation Friday when he announced he won’t seek a sixth term as the MNA for Lotbiniere-Frontenac. In a statement on Facebook, Lessard, 55, thanked his constituents for […] Read more



Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland in Washington, D.C. on May 31, 2017. (Global Affairs Canada screengrab via YouTube)

Freeland to visit Washington this week for NAFTA talks

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland will visit Washington this week in another bid to help unblock talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement, a spokesman said on Monday. Freeland will be in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, said spokesman Adam Austen. The U.S., Mexico and Canada are struggling to […] Read more





(JeffLeal.onmpp.ca)

Sector growth to occupy Ontario ag minister in 2018

Ontario’s Liberals will have their agriculture standard-bearer back for the 2018 election. Jeff Leal, Ontario’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, is staying in politics, running for his fifth term as a member of the provincial legislature in the Peterborough riding. Leal, who as a resident of Peterborough is about as rural as any […] Read more