Canada’s new Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau made her first Agricultural tour to Western Canada with stops in BC, Alberta, and Manitoba.

While the trip didn’t involve a stop in Saskatchewan her office responded with a written statement by saying the trip was already on the books for former Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay prior to the cabinet shuffle and Minister Bibeau chose to keep those commitments.

Here is part of that response...

“In her opening week on the job, Minister Bibeau has been focused on the canola trade issue that is concerning Saskatchewan farmers, and she is eager to visit Saskatchewan; a powerhouse of Canadian Agriculture. 

Our government recognizes that agriculture continues to be essential to the way of life and to the economy in Western Canada. That’s why Minister Bibeau has made it a priority to make Western Canada her first destination as Minister.

Minister Bibeau is part of a team which includes many ministers, a number of whom will be traveling in Western Canada this week. Ministers Jim Carr and Bernadette Jordan will both be in Saskatchewan for the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) annual conference and will be able to speak to the canola matter while there.

Minister Bibeau looks forward to visiting Saskatchewan soon to meet with farmers, processors and industry leaders and hear ideas on how to capture growth opportunities for Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector. “