Minister's Statement - Wildlife Damage Compensation Program

Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, released the following statement on the evaluation of the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program:

 

"Our government knows that farmers do their best to protect their livestock from wildlife predation, however, losses still do occur - and that's why we provide support to help offset those losses through the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. I've been in farmers' fields and have seen first-hand the damage that predators have done to their livestock.

 

To ensure that the program works in the best interests of producers, our government made updates in January 2017 following a third-party review and consultations with a dozen partners from across the agri-food value chain. These updates are aligned with the recommendations made in the review, feedback received and are evidence-based.

 

As with all government programs, we want to ensure they are directly benefitting those who rely on them the most.

 

When I'm driving on back concessions and sitting around kitchen tables enjoying a cup of coffee with a farmer or sitting down with our municipal leaders, I'm always listening. I want you to know that I have heard your concerns about the updated program. That's why my ministry will be working with our partners in the coming months to examine the program to ensure farmers are being fairly compensated for their losses.

 

I look forward to reviewing the feedback received as a result of the evaluation and, based on those discussions, changes to the program will be considered.

 

Our nearly 50,000 family farms across this province work hard and our government is committed to supporting them."

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.