CFIA hit by federal job cuts
A union representing Canadian Food Inspection Agency workers says that some 1,370 jobs will be cut at the agency.
This comes after Agriculture Agri-Food Canada confirmed it was eliminating 665 positions and closing seven research centres and farms across Canada.
The Agriculture Union represents about 4,500 of approximately 6,400 CFIA workers. It said removing workers could lead to food safety concerns.
In letter to staff, obtained by the Western Producer, CFIA president Paul MacKinnon said cuts would protect front-line inspection capacity and emergency readiness. It would also look to streamline the CFIA’s structure.
The union shared a screenshot showing where cuts were to occur. These included 117 jobs related to meat inspection operational efficiencies and 98 jobs related to poultry slaughter inspection modernization. A further 40 jobs represent reduced daily shift inspection in non-export meat plants.
Mixed market response to canola headlines
While reports suggest China is buying Canadian canola again, the market response to the accord between the countries has been mixed.
In late January, canola futures were trading at about the same point as they were a year ago – that is, at a midpoint between March’s low of $560 per tonne and June’s high of about $750 per tonne.
Resumption of trade with China could boost values toward the high end of the range but it will be a hard climb, wrote analyst Phil Franz-Warkentin.
Canada’s canola exports sat at 2.92 million tonnes as of January 11, which is down about two million tonnes from last year.
Chinese demand could be significant in the last few months of the crop year said analyst Bruce Burnett. Current crop year exports are on pace to hit seven million tonnes.
Increased demand from China could push total demand to eight or eight and a half million tonnes. However, Burnett said this won’t prevent a jump in ending stocks.
Western Canadian alienation is real but not exceptional according to polls
While Western Canadian provinces have gotten a lot of recent press for resentment toward the federal government, polls show a little resentment is just standard for Canadians.
That’s according to data from the Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation.
The centre tracks survey data on a scale running from negative six, or very positive, to six or very resentful. Canadians score an average of one, or slightly resentful.
Alberta and Saskatchewan have scored between two or three every year since 2022. Newfoundland and Labrador is the most resentful province – hovering near three. Ontario sat near zero, or neutral.
When tracking where residents fell on the resentment index, Alberta residents formed two peaks – one with positive feelings toward Canada and one with strong feelings of resentment.
About 16 per cent of Albertans are committed to separating from Canada regardless of consequences, according to data from Ipsos Public Affairs.
Ipsos found that 28 per cent of all Albertans would consider separation from Canada. Of those, 25 per cent might change their mind based on ramifications of separation. Nineteen per cent were considered ‘symbolic’ separatists who were just trying to send a message.
