The suddenly famous mushroom farmer in the middle of the Poilievre-vs.-Trudeau carbon-tax fracas

Dec 29, 2023

OTTAWA — Mushroom farmer Mike Medeiros is suddenly famous. His name kept coming up in question period exchanges between Pierre Poilievre and Justin Trudeau this fall. But the man himself says he doesn’t need a spotlight, he needs a solution to a mounting problem for his business.

“It’s fine that they mentioned my name or my farm, but it’s all farmers. It’s chicken. It’s pork. It’s all farmers that are feeling this,” he said in a recent interview.

Medeiros and his family business, Carleton Mushroom Farms in Osgoode, Ont., have become one of the Conservative leader’s favourite examples in debates with the prime minister about the Liberal government’s carbon tax.

“Carleton Mushroom Farms’ owner will pay $100,000 this year, rising to $400,000 over the carbon tax increase the prime minister proposes, and he is sending them tiny rebate cheques to their household mailbox,” Poilievre said in a raucous exchange with the prime minister in Parliament’s final sitting before the Christmas break. “Is the prime minister committing today that he is going to send a $400,000 rebate to this family farm?”

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Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.