FREDERIC SERRE
The Advocate
The president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is calling on the newly-elected Liberal government to work with his organization to improve the lives of Canadian farmers as they face increasing pressures from recent international trade tensions created by the U.S. Trump administration.
“Coming out of this election, we need to seize the unique opportunity today’s challenges present to truly realize Canadian agriculture’s potential for all Canadians,” said Keith Currie. “A strong, resilient agriculture sector is vital to the health, economy and security of our entire nation. As Canada faces increasing pressures from international trade tensions, now is the time for strong leadership and bold investment in the competitiveness and resilience of Canada’s agricultural sector.”
While Currie congratulated Prime Minister Mark Carney for his party’s electoral victory on April 28, he added that the CFA is looking “forward to working across party lines for the betterment of Canadian agriculture.”
He said the CFA is eager to meet with the new government and members of the new Parliament to begin advancing the CFA’s key priorities, which include supporting farmers through “significant global trade uncertainty and the impacts of tariffs, reducing interprovincial trade barriers, enhancing business risk management programs to make farms more resilient, and investing in Canada’s trade infrastructure.”
Currie praised Carney for easily winning his Ottawa seat, adding: “The political neophyte will finally become a member of the House Commons, but “he will have challenges with a divided House of Commons. Indeed, the central banker and businessman is not used to the type of scrappy politics and attacks that will come from a re-energized Conservative caucus.”
As for Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who has vowed to continue as leader despite losing his own seat, Currie said the CFA’s “expectation is that, despite future media speculations and some disgruntled party organizers, Poilievre will have a strong command of his party and no one in his caucus will challenge him openly.”
Currie said he is excited about the new government’s plans to assist farmers, including the creation of a new $200-million Domestic Processing Fund and an increase of support for farmers, ranchers and producers, and while these are welcomed changes, “clearly, more needs to be done.”