CFA hosting National Ag Leaders Debate

Updated September 2, 2021 to reflect a change in one of the panelists, and new details on how to watch the debate.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is once again hosting a National Ag Leaders Debate, this time in the run up to Canada’s 43 federal election.

Speakers:

Marie-Claude Bibeau – Liberal Party of Canada

• First elected as Member of Parliament for Compton-Stanstead, QC in 2015.
• Served as Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
• Worked with the Canadian International Development Agency, co-owned Camping de Compton, was Director of Accreditation for 2013 Canada Summer Games, and Executive Director, Sherbrooke Museum of Nature and Science.
• Born, raised, educated in Sherbrooke.
• Holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, and a graduate deploma in Environmental Management, from the Université de Sherbrooke.

Dave Epp – Conservative Party of Canada

• First elected as Member of Parliament for Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON in 2019.
• Worked as Ontario/QC Regional Representative for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council, and Chairman of Agricorp, Ontario Process Vegetable Growers, and Ontario Tomato Research Institute.
• Currently farms in both vegetables and cash crops.

Alistair MacGregor – New Democratic Party

• First elected as Member of Parliament for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, B.C., in 2015.
• Served as NDP’s Critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food, Rural Economic Development, and deputy Justice.
• Worked in forestry, and is actively engaged on issues like climate change, pensions, housing, clean energy, environmental sustainability, and food security.

Yves Perron – Bloc Québécois

• First elected as Member of Parliament for Berthier-Maskinongé, QC, in 2019.
• Serves as President of the Bloc Québécois.
• Served as Critic for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Supply Management for the Bloc Québécois.
• Worked in education, as a high school teacher.

Moderators:

Shaun Haney – RealAgriculture

• Founder and publisher of RealAgriculture, launched in 2008, and owned by Haney Farms (1985) Ltd.
• Host of RealAg Radio on Rural Radio 147.

Martin Menard – La Terre de chez nous

• Journalist for 12 years with La Terre de chez nous publications, covering organic agriculture, maple production, grains, forestry, beekeeping, and more.
• Co-owns a small farm.