Lawrence MacAulay is back in as minister of agriculture
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A face Canadian farmers recognize is back handling the agriculture portfolio in Ottawa.
Prime Minister Trudeau appointed Lawrence MacAulay, the P.E.I. MP for Cardigan since 1988, to once again be the minister for agriculture and agri-food during a cabinet shuffle on Wednesday.
Lawrence MacAulay
MacAulay participated in a private swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday and remained in P.E.I. following his brother Jim’s passing.
Canadian ag organizations started to post reactions on social media.
“Welcome back,” the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers said on Twitter. “We look forward to working with you in the future!”
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture also welcomed Minister MacAulay back into the agriculture file.
“We look forward to working with Mr. MacAulay to ensure our industry’s sector priorities continue moving forward,” the organization said on Twitter.
The retired farmer previously served as ag minister from November 2015 to March 2019. At that time, a cabinet shuffle saw him move from agriculture to veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the MP from Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, replaces MacAulay in those roles.
With MacAulay returning to the agriculture file, it means now former minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is on the move.
Marie-Claude Bibeau
After four years in agriculture, Bibeau was sworn in as minister of national revenue on Wednesday morning.
As minister of national revenue, Minister Bibeau is responsible for the Canadian Revenue Agency, as well as administering taxation law and collection.
In total, Prime Minister Trudeau’s cabinet underwent 30 changes in this cabinet shuffle.
Multiple ministers kept their current portfolio, including Gudie Hutchings.
The Newfoundland and Labrador MP from Long Range Mountains retains her duties as minister of rural economic development, and also becomes the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
Ginette Petitpas Taylor previously oversaw the ACOA, which works to create opportunities for economic growth in the region.
Minister Bibeau takes her oath as minister of national revenue beginning at 29:40 of the video.