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The Incredible Opportunities, and Challenges, for Canadian Agriculture
Personal, Grassroots NewsRecently I attended the summer meetings for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Flying there and back, I looked out my plane’s window to see an endless patchwork of farm fields below. It’s an amazing sight to see and can easily give the impression that our massive agri-food sector must be doing incredibly well. While Canada’s diverse agri-food industry already contributes tens of billions to the country’s GDP, there are some incredible opportunities waiting for the entire country, if industry and government can work together for the greater good. Unfortunately, these opportunities are being held back by a series of current challenges facing our domestic food producers and processors; challenges most Canadians and politicians are largely unaware of.
First off, let me say that the current government in Ottawa, like others before it, has not prioritized the agri-food sector since it was first elected, even though there is increasing awareness of the enormous economic growth potential. Global predictions put the world’s population at 10B by 2050 and Canada is well situated to profit from growing global food demand. Yet our farmers cannot thrive without increased collaboration from governments across the country. While Canada already ranks amongst the top food producers in the world, we export a huge percentage of our raw goods for processing in other countries. We should instead be doing more of that here in Canada, where extra value could be generated. In her opening remarks, CFA President Mary Robinson spoke of climate change, supply chain problems, and farming sustainability as the sector’s biggest current challenges. She also articulated the fact that most Canadian farmers today don’t run their businesses singularly focused on the financial bottom line. Farmers are just as concerned as people outside the agri-food industry in terms of the environmental and social impacts of modern farming. Today, people working in agriculture must be technologically sophisticated and business savvy if they are to survive. Yet government continues to expect more from farmers which is causing frustration amongst many I spoke with.
Canada has had it pretty good for a long time when it comes to food security. Unlike other countries that have had to prioritize food production to feed their people, we have been blessed with ample land, fresh water, and reasonably decent growing seasons to produce more food than we need. Like most western developed countries, Canada has evolved from the agrarian focused economy it was more than 100 years ago. Currently, more than 85% of Canadians live in urban centres and cities, including most of the elected officials and government bureaucrats running our country. While farming has become more technologically advanced, more and more Canadians live, work, and play within cities, so the disconnect between urban Canadians and the country’s shrinking number of farmers has never been greater. The CFA represents 190,000 farm families across the country, which is not an insignificant number, but it only represents about 2% of the total population. Yet 100% of Canadians rely daily on the produce grown and produced in every region of the country.
Modern day farming is already significantly greener than it was just a few years ago, let alone decades or centuries ago. New technology, coupled with farmers’ desire to increase their bottom line has greatly advanced farming efficiency, yet governments are demanding more. The biggest challenge currently, and one that came up repeatedly during the meetings, was government’s expectation that the industry significantly reduces its Green House Gas Emissions. And the biggest single government proposal that is increasing the ire of farmers everywhere is the suggestion that nitrogen use be cut by 30% by 2030. While other jurisdictions like the US and EU financially compensate their farmers for measures adopted to reduce GHGs, Canada does not. Farmers I spoke with are more than willing to do their part, yet one summed it up best by saying, “You can’t expect us to be green, if we are operating in the red”. There is only so far a business owner can be pushed before they decide it’s no longer viable to continue. With the average Canadian farmer nearing 60 years of age, government would be wise to work with the sector to encourage the next generation to stay engaged, as opposed to leaving it. Labour shortages remain a serious threat to Canadian agriculture.
During the meetings I heard Canola growers speak about how their input costs had increased as much as 100% in the last year, primarily due to rapid inflation and supply chain issues. Cattle farmers spoke about how the country is losing 147,000 acres of pasture every year as some ranchers transition to other types of farming because incentives are higher. Pork producers spoke about their ongoing concerns with African Swine Flu and how it could devastate their businesses. Others spoke about the significant positive attributes modern farming is contributing today, such as dairy farms using biodigesters to reduce on-farm methane emissions, and the advanced sustainable practices employed by most farmers to help the environment.
The meetings wrapped up with a round table discussion that included CFA board members, producers from various commodities, Agricultural Ministers and staff from every province, as well as the federal government. Like all meetings that consist of a room full of Canadians, the conversations were cordial and polite and included repeated references to the sector’s potential if everyone just worked together. I’ve only been to a handful of these meetings, but that phrase is repeatedly used. There were consistent expressions of what some of the beneficial opportunities could be if the sector was fully prioritized by government – massive economic growth, job creation, and much needed rural economic development outside of our large cities which are increasingly congested and unaffordable for so many.
The federal government has been working towards a new 5-year Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) agreement and a wide variety of industry spokespeople were there to tell them that if the Ag sector is to remain a mainstay of the national economy, let alone grow, it needs help in various ways. Subsequently, the federal government released a statement announcing a new agreement has been signed with the provinces that will see an additional $500M in funding as part of the new APF to help offset climate change and emissions reduction programming. The feds also committed to increase the compensation rate for the current suite of business risk management programs from 70% to 80% to help farmers hit with unexpected losses. These announcements were welcomed by industry groups including the CFA, but much more needs to be done for the sector to reach its full potential.
Canada has long been known as a natural resource superpower. We have been blessed with a huge geography and for too long governments have overlooked agriculture for other industries such as energy, mining, and forestry. It’s time we all stop talking about the benefits of working together to grow a bigger agri-food sector and start making it happen. It’s time Canadians and politicians across the land recognize farmers as true stewards of the earth. And it’s time to work with them so Canada can take advantage of the incredible opportunities in agriculture, for the benefit of the entire country.
Peter has 20 years’ experience as a business owner and entrepreneur. He has been deeply involved in federal and provincial politics since 1993 and has earned an impressive reputation as a campaign manager and highly effective, “get things done” leader. Peter has his MBA in Executive Management from Royal Roads University, BC, graduating in 2008 with a specialization in Leadership.The focus of Grassroots is to bring a solid, real-world, business approach to government advocacy based on “Clarity – Consistency – Collaboration” designed to help businesses and associations get tangible support for their vision, mission and message.
Ontario’s Legislative Preview
Provincial, NewsLate July is likely the most popular time for taking family holidays and time off, including those who work in government. Yet this summer, much like the preceding two, things continue to be far from “normal” in terms of what is likely to happen with the Government of Ontario’s agenda. With this in mind, let’s analyze a few things to consider about their approach and priorities as the provincial government undertakes its second 4-year mandate.
Summer Schedule
One week after Ford’s new cabinet was announced, government sources confirmed that a speech from the throne will be tabled August 9th and the spring budget tabled for passage in the days following. This rare summertime session will allow the government to get moving quickly on some of their priorities, earlier than expected.
With parliament resuming early, we do not expect business as usual until September in terms of booking advocacy meetings in-person. Nothing has been formally communicated yet, but word on the street suggests the government could sit until early September and then recess again until late October, following the province-wide municipal elections.
Consistency in Cabinet
When the Ford government was elected in June of 2018, almost everyone, elected MPPs and staff alike, were new to their roles. Premier Doug Ford had previously never sat in the legislature, nor had the majority of his 76 elected MPPs. Four years later, things are very different.
The newly announced cabinet now has 30 ministers, including Premier Ford – two more than the government had prior to the election. Twenty of those cabinet members are assuming their same pre-election roles. Only 6 are rookie ministers while another 4 are taking on different roles than they held prior to the election. With little turnover Premier Ford has clearly shown his desire to hit the ground running. And speaking with many people in and around government since covid restrictions were largely lifted this spring, there is a strong desire to “get things done” after a challenging two years fighting the pandemic.
(For a link to the government’s media release on the new cabinet click here)
Apart from Sylvia Jones taking over the important role as Minister of Health, most of Ford’s senior ministers remain the same including Peter Bethlenfalvy in Finance, Stephen Lecce in Education, and Caroline Mulroney in Transportation. The presence of so many experienced ministers is a bonus for Premier Ford, however a problem the government faces is finding enough staff to fill many job vacancies across the various ministries.
Staff Shortages
The surprising exodus of senior staff both leading up to the election and following must be a concern and priority for the premier’s team. While having so many experienced and returning ministers is a big benefit for the government compared to 2018, not having experienced senior staff to lead the departments may be problematic. Following the announcement of cabinet, and later the parliamentary assistants, word leaked out about Ministry Chiefs of Staff. There are only a handful who remain in the same positions they held pre-election, and the only chief of staff in the same position since 2018 is Tara Barry in Agriculture. Aside from chiefs, many ministries are short on policy advisors, research analysts, and people managing ministerial communications. If you are a recent graduate and helped on a PC campaign this is an exceptional time to submit your resume to government!
From an advocacy standpoint, educating new staff can be a challenge for organizations lobbying government. While progress on files should be somewhat easier compared to 4 years ago, one mustn’t overlook the need to provide background materials, even if you did that before. Repetition and focusing on benefits for government are key to your success.
Understanding the Priorities
Regardless of whether the pandemic is completely behind us or not, the impacts will be felt for years to come. And as a result, Ontario’s government will prioritize what they believe to be most important when it comes to rebuilding Ontario. Last week Premier Ford attended the First Ministers meeting in British Columbia and the single issue that dominated the meeting was Canada’s struggling healthcare system. The provinces will continue to pressure the feds for more money, but the bigger problem is the labour shortage currently impacting almost every region of the country. Expect more announcements from the Ford government on initiatives to recruit and train more healthcare workers where they are most needed.
Aside from healthcare, inflationary pressure will impact the government’s ability to do everything it promised during the provincial campaign. One commitment already made was the 6-month suspension of provincial gas tax, which saves drivers almost 6 cents a litre every time they fill up. Such policies are popular with voters yet costly to the government’s bottom line.
Overall, the Ford government has clearly prioritized the economy and healthcare as they enter the upcoming fall legislative session. Does this mean any unrelated matters can’t be presented? Of course not, but knowing what the government has planned will greatly assist you in making decisions to benefit your advocacy strategies.
Advocacy Assessment
We are Grassroots focus on helping our clients ensure their message is delivered to government with clarity, consistency, and collaboration. One of the most effective tools we have identified is a customized Advocacy Assessment for organizations who are looking to re-evaluate their approach and messaging to decisions makers in government. Interested to learn more? Check out our page of information here.
First Impressions of Advocacy Networking
Personal, Grassroots News, NewsAssociate Consultant at Grassroots Public Affairs Reem Wahab shares her take on networking in the advocacy world as a newcomer.
Attending events for the first time in the advocacy world can be quite daunting. Depending on the event, you are usually in a room surrounded by politicians, staffers, clients, and many others who share the same goal as you. The goal in question? Networking. Typically, these events only last a few hours, so you have a limited time to form connections with as many people as possible. To some, working the room comes naturally; but to others this experience may be nerve-wracking. As a newcomer to public affairs, my experience is a little unconventional, so here is my take on networking in the advocacy world, through fresh eyes.
My first exposure comes at a time when people are turning off their computers and coming together face-to-face for the first time in years. Old colleagues are reuniting in-person, or, as in my case, meeting in-person for the first time. If you had told me five years ago that I would be starting a new job completely from the comfort of my own home and wouldn’t meet my boss until three months later, at a whiskey tasting event, I would have replied, “I prefer vodka, but where do I sign?” Combine that with the dwindling presence of a global pandemic and learning how to reengage with society, I would be a little more hesitant to grab that pen. However, I can confidently say that returning to normalcy after being in lockdown for years has created a collective sense of excitement, and people are keener to engage in conversations due to being isolated from one another for so long.
Admittedly, entering a room full of strangers with the expectation of forming new connections by the end of the night can be slightly intimidating. Especially when the many faces around you are seen regularly on government websites, television, and online news stories. That said, you quickly learn just how human public figures are. The politician whose name you regularly see in the news and speaking at events is just a normal person who you can strike up a normal conversation with. In fact, once you factor in the humanity of the people you are surrounded by, there is nothing intimidating at all.
The biggest takeaway for me is that starting the journey into a new career can be daunting no matter what, but starting anything is always the hardest part. It gets easier. One important reality that I learned that helped me early on is that at the end of the day every single person in the room has once stood where you are. We have all at one point in our lives found ourselves in a situation where we are intimidated by our surroundings – whether you are a small fish in a big pond, or a big fish who swam into an even bigger pond. To make experiences like these less daunting, remember that every human around you has a story to tell, and most people love to share these stories, so ask them! In my experience, the best tactic for forming new connections is to learn as much as possible about who you are talking to. People usually love talking about themselves and their journey since that’s their best-known subject, so listen carefully to their stories and this may help you with your own journey.
Entering summer, most formal networking events are wrapped up until September – yet summer provides a great opportunity to socialize and network on a more causal level which can help form stronger connections. When I first started my career, advocacy networking seemed intimidating as a newcomer to this world. Now, I am looking forward to any opportunity to network with someone new, because the insights strangers have offered have helped immensely with my personal and professional development.
#GrassrootsGlimpse: A snapshot of the new 2022 Ontario MPPs
Provincial, Grassroots NewsFollowing the 2022 Ontario provincial elections, 36 new Members of Provincial Parliament have been announced.
36 out of 124 Ontario Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) will be taking a seat in the Legislative Chamber for the first time this coming September after a massive win for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party and leader Doug Ford who secured more than 80 seats in the province’s 2022 election. Out of the 36 new members: 28 are PC, 4 are Liberal, 3 are NDP, and 1 is Independent.
Each week we will be highlighting additional new Members of Provincial Parliament. To learn more about the new members, click the names below.
NEW PC MEMBERS
NEW LIBERAL MEMBERS
NEW INDEPENDENT MEMBER
NEW NDP MEMBERS
Ontario’s 2022 Election is in the Books – What Happened and What to Look For Next
ProvincialThe Results
The pollsters got this election right – a Ford majority seemed increasingly popular as the election campaign progressed and when the dust settled the PC Party ended up with a massive 83 seat super majority. It was a fantastic night for the Premier and a disaster for both the NDP and Liberal parties.
The PCs made gains in all regions of the province. While they won 76 seats in 2018, they entered this election with only 67 after several defections and members being forced out of caucus. After a rocky first term that included some early scandals and was later hampered by the pandemic, the Ford government will now have a strong and secure majority to enact its plan to rebuild the economy and make major investments in big infrastructure projects.
The PCs won over 40% of the popular vote while the NDP and Liberals each took 23%. This split on the left, without either party coming close to Doug Ford’s conservatives, allowed the PCs to win more ridings with less votes than they received in 2018. Overall turnout was just 43.4%, 13% lower than 4 years ago. If you do the math, Doug Ford won a super majority with the support of just over 17% of eligible Ontario voters. Election campaigns that fail to inspire or motivate citizens to get involved always favour incumbents and this election was no exception.
Check out CBC’s Election Night Stats and website here.
The Consequences
Elections always have consequences for the various parties and their leaders and fallout from this vote’s outcome didn’t take long. From Doug Ford’s perspective things could not have gone much better especially when you look at the impact the results had on his two main party rivals.
While the NDP managed to fend off the Liberals and maintain the position of Official Opposition, they dropped 9 seats. In her election night remarks, Andrea Horwath announced she would be stepping down as NDP party leader. This was the fourth election for Horwarth as leader and pressure was on her to at least reduce the PC government to a minority. Ms. Horwath has been leader since 2009 which is a very long time in politics. The party will now look to identify a new leader to lead the party and assume the role as leader of the Official Opposition at Queens Park. Expect a NDP leadership convention within the next 6-12 months.
Most pundits thought the Liberals couldn’t possibly do as bad as they did in 2018 but all things considered this result was equally if not more disastrous. Party leader Steven Del Duca didn’t even come close to winning his own seat, a seat he held for years as a member of the McGuinty/Wynne governments. Just recently Del Duca said he would remain as leader if he didn’t win his seat but changed his tune in his post-election remarks last night, resigning as party leader immediately. The results leave the Liberals without official party status and only one additional seat in the legislature.
Green Party leader Mike Schreiner easily won his seat in Guelph, but the party failed to win a second seat in Parry Sound Muskoka where many felt they had a chance. The one big upset for the night was in Haldimand Norfolk where independent candidate Bobbi Ann Brady defeated all the main parties. Ms. Brady was the long time EA to former PC MPP Toby Barrett, who represented the PC party in that riding for 27 years. Ms. Brady was denied an opportunity to run as the PC candidate at the last minute by party brass, choosing to run as an independent as a protest vote.
What’s Next
While speculation will start immediately on who the Premier and his team will choose for cabinet, the government may decide to recall the legislature briefly to first pass their budget bill. If this happens expect a very brief session in June before everyone takes a well-deserved break, returning when the legislature resumes in September. You will recall the government delayed the tabling of the budget so that they could deliver it on the eve of the election where it essentially became their election platform. Cabinet positions will be filled in June or July and new ministers will be sent back to their constituencies with briefing binders on their respective ministries.
The Cabinet
While the vast majority of Doug Ford’s cabinet ministers were reelected there will be some holes to fill. A mini cabinet shuffle earlier this year filled some vacancies created by a handful of ministers who announced their retirement. As a result, the only prominent position that needs to be filled is for Minister of Health following Christine Elliott’s late decision that she wouldn’t seek re-election. While the premier has the luxury of a deep bench to choose from, don’t expect many, if any, newly elected MPPs thrust into ministerial positions. Unlike the challenges Premier Ford faced in 2018 where he had to fill cabinet with a full slate of rookie ministers, he now has the luxury of getting to know the 20+ new members of caucus and can integrate some into cabinet when needed. The pending shuffle will quite likely see some of the previous cabinet ministers into moved different roles, however several front bench members including Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and potentially Labour Minister Monte McNaughton may stay put for now.
What’s the Focus for the New Government
This election win will be rightly interpreted as a ringing endorsement for the Ford government’s vision for Ontario going forward. If you look back to the budget tabled in April there were several prominent focus areas for which the government planned to make major investments including:
Its an ambitious and expensive list of commitments at a time when the overall global economy is on shaky ground. Compared to 2018 the PC government lead by Doug Ford has 4 years of experience under its belt and is in a clear position to move quickly in to enact many of its plans for Ontario. The next couple of years has the potential to be transformative for the province in many ways.
Advocacy Plans Matter
Industry groups and businesses should be paying close attention to the decisions made by the Ford government over the next couple of months. While many senior members of cabinet will remain the same, several will be in thrust into new portfolios and there will be dozens of new faces in the legislature who will need to be educated on your issues.
When the fall session opens up in September, lobbying by stakeholder groups including after hour receptions will return and the calendar of activities and events will quickly fill up. It will be a very competitive landscape and finding creative ways to get your message heard by government will be paramount for success.
Grassroots will be closely monitoring the plans and priorities of the new government in the weeks ahead. Watch for our briefing on the new cabinet as soon as its announced and summaries on government news as they happen.
Defining Agriculture’s Centre of Gravity: A Look at the Gaps in Enthusiasm Among Older and Younger Canadians
Personal, Grassroots News, NewsA piece written by polling & opinion research consultant, Adrian Macaulay.
Over the years, polling and opinion research has enabled our firm to acquire a better understanding of how Canadians understand and perceive the country’s agriculture and agri-food sector.
Each new wave of research allows us to ask new questions, test hypotheses, explore new policy areas, as well as measure to what extent opinions and attitudes towards the sector have changed over time.
In the process of analyzing the data we collect, we try to examine not only how Canadians overall view a particular topic or issue, but whether one or more demographic sub-groups (ex: men, those 25-34, Atlantic Canadians, etc.) have a more pronounced effect on the overall distribution of attitudes towards an issue.
Alternatively phrased, we try and see to what extent a particular sub-demographic over- or under-performs in relation to the sample overall (in this case: Canadians overall).
Depending on the topic at hand or the way you ask the question, some demographics push more than they pull, some demographics pull more than they push.
In the past few years of measuring opinions towards Canadian agriculture, we’ve noticed that age and region are two demographics that tend to exhibit more pronounced differences between sub-groups when considering how the agri-food sector is seen overall, in relation to other sectors, or on issues that view the sector more holistically.
Fewer differences can be found between men and women, education levels, and income brackets when examining how Canadians view sector-wide issues. However, differences between these demographics do exist and can be found.
Differences in income categories tend to be more evident around financially-focused topics such as our most recent questions about food shopping and consumption habits in the past year, or how large of a barrier different financial obligations are to affording food.
Research conducted this year found some differences between men and women around the topic of food insecurity: women (91%) were more likely than men (77%) to say hunger and food insecurity will be very or somewhat serious problem in the near future.
Education is usually the quietest of the five major demographics we take into account. Few significant differences are found between different education levels with respect to how the sector is viewed overall. Having said that, some of our polling from 2021 found that those with lower levels of education (high school education or less) had lower levels of nutritional literacy than those with higher levels of education.
Regional differences are more commonly found in questions that view the agri-food sector overall such as Canadians’ proximity to agri-food and exposure to agriculture, how optimistic/pessimistic Canadians are of the sector’s growth potential, and perceptions around the costs of food.
It can be argued that [older Canadians] are a critical demographic sub-group for the agri-food sector, in that they provide sector with source of strength.
Like a majority of Canadians from coast to coast, younger age cohorts (<35) are trusting and supportive of agriculture, however, their enthusiasm for farming pales in comparison to those 55+.
Older Canadians are much more likely to hold stronger, more supportive feelings towards the sector than younger Canadians.
Some of the more notable areas where older and younger Canadians part ways around agriculture and agri-food are:
When asked to rate the importance of different sectors on Canada’s economic landscape, those over the age of 55 were more likely than Canadians overall, as well as younger age cohorts, to rate agriculture as a ‘5’ meaning it was of very large importance to Canada’s economic landscape.
While not as clean-cut as the views towards Canada’s economic landscape, we asked a very similar question that used ‘critical infrastructure’ instead of ‘economic landscape’ and found that older age cohorts are more likely to rate agriculture as a ‘5’ or of very large importance to the country’s critical infrastructure.
When we asked Canadians whether they had made any changes to their food shopping and consumption habits (from a list provided), those over the age of 55 were more likely than Canadians overall to say they opted for domestically grown or produced food over food imported from elsewhere.
When asked whether they would be more or less likely to purchase a series of food categories if they were grown or produced in Canada, those over the age of 55 were more likely than Canadians overall to say they would be purchase each of the categories listed if they were domestically produced.
Our polling has also found that older Canadians are more likely than Canadians overall, as well as those under the age of 24, that agricultural practices currently in place today are less harmful for the environment compared to the past.
Taking into account the findings above, one might be able to argue that younger Canadians may prioritize, or take interest in, different issues than older generations. Our research has found generational differences between age cohorts around protein consumption and interest in red meat alternatives.
In 2021, Grassroots measured opinions and attitudes towards lab grown meat. Among those who say they had heard of or are aware of the term ‘lab grown meat’, noticeable differences in interest can be found between those above and below the age of 45. Younger Canadians were more interested in trying lab grown meat than older age cohorts, as well as Canadians overall, while those over the age of 45 were more likely to say they were not interested in trying lab grown meat.
Differences between older and younger cohorts go beyond the lab: older Canadians were more likely than Canadians overall to say they were eating more poultry in the past year.
In 2021, we found those between 25-34 were more likely than Canadians overall to say that they had consumed ‘somewhat’ more plant-based protein products in the past year, while those 55+ were more likely than Canadians overall to say that they cannot or do not eat plant-based protein products.
In this year’s wave of research, we found those 18-34 were more likely than Canadians overall to say they were eating more (‘somewhat’ + ‘a lot’) plant-based protein products in the past year.
While it’s good news that Canada’s agri-food sector has a strong and dedicated base of support among older Canadians, that support network may not be sustainable over time and the sector must do what it can to ensure that younger Canadians view the sector positively (especially as they age).
Despite all of the insights and findings we have uncovered over the years, one thing our polling is unable to do at the moment is explain why noticeable differences exist between older and younger age cohorts around the topic of agriculture. Furthermore, we have not fully identified all of the different areas that older and younger cohorts may differ on.
Further research is needed to get a better understanding of the functions and tensions between age cohorts.
While those who work in the agri-food sector are best positioned to ask relevant and important questions that will influence a desired outcome, below are three high-level research topics that might be worthy of consideration:
By better understanding the interests and motivations of younger Canadians around agricultural topics, the sector would be able to grow and maintain support more efficiently over time.
Adrian Macaulay
Polling & Opinion Research Consultant