The Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau has been given the nod by Prime Minister Trudeau to continue in her role as minister of agriculture and agri-food. In the recent federal election, she  beat her nearest rival, a Bloc Québécois contender, by 3,500 votes in her Québec riding of Compton-Stanstead. 

“We look forward to continuing our productive relationship with Minister Bibeau,” said Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). “We have worked closely with the Minister throughout her tenure and the COVID-19 pandemic, and are now looking forward to collaborating to ensure that Canadian agriculture can serve as a powerful economic engine for Canada's recovery and an impactful ally in the fight against climate change.”

“During the recent election, CFA has made the priorities of Canadian farmers very clear: leverage agriculture's environmental benefits, provide increased funding for the Next Policy Framework and invest in critical infrastructure requirements, among others,” 

The CFA hopes that the new government works collectively with our sector to ensure Canadian agriculture fulfills its potential in contributing to Canada’s overall economy, meeting Canada’s food security needs and helping Canada fight climate change. Pre-pandemic, Agri-Food employed one in eight Canadians and contributed $140 billion to Canada's GDP, and farmers are eager to help drive Canada's economic recovery from COVID-19.

Other significant appointments that impact horticulture include:

• Hon. Steven Guilbeault, minister of environment and climate change
• Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of health
• Hon. Seamus O’Regan, minister of labour
• Hon. Carla Qualtrough, minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion
• Hon. Gudie Hutchings, minister of rural economic development
• Hon. Omar Alghabra, minister of transport 

 Source:  Canadian Federation of Agriculture October 26, 2021 news release