Agricultural issues made their way to the forefront at last week's Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Summit in Saskatoon.
Not only did approximately 500 delegates, representing three provinces and two territories in Canada and five northwest American states, hear from Canada's federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz about trade issues, but they also welcomed Saskatchewan's provincial agriculture minister as the new head of their organization.
Lyle Stewart, who became agriculture minister in this year's cabinet shuffle, will be serving as president of PNWER for a one-year term.
After being officially introduced as president to the delegates at the Hotel Bessborough last Wednesday, Stewart told reporters he plans to do things to give agriculture a higher profile within the organization, and also promote Saskatchewan within the PNWER region.
Stewart called agriculture "a very important industry to the region, so I expect I'll have lots of co-operation within the region in doing that," said Stewart.
He pointed to cross-border trade issues as important for the organization to address, and also pointed to traceability as well as invasive species as other important issues.
Invasive species crossing from jurisdiction to jurisdiction is described at PNWER as a top environmental issue. The issue received heightened media attention this year after the discovery of the predatory and damaging Northern Snakehead fish in Canadian waters. They are dubbed "Frankenfish."
Stewart also expressed support for e-certification, or the electronic certification of livestock.
"E-certification is a quick and easy way to identify livestock at the border," said Stewart. He says that will "facilitate streamlined trade and cross-border movement of livestock" and called it something the organization wants to pursue.
When asked how much of a fight it will be to get agriculture issues on the agenda at PNWER, Stewart said he believes "it won't be much of a fight."
"Ag has taken a higher profile at this summit than it ever has before," said Stewart, who adds he doesn't believe it will be a hard fight to keep that profile.
Agriculture and trade issues surrounding it were prominent during the morning address by Gerry Ritz at the PNWER summit.
He expressed support for expanded trade and reducing red tape. Ritz pointed as well to the date when "marketing freedom" would begin on Aug. 1, the day the Canadian Wheat Board single-desk monopoly ends.
Ritz told the audience marketing freedom would bring "new transparency, flexibility and currency" on both sides of the border.
Ritz also repeated his long-standing opposition to COOL, or country of origin labeling, both during his speech and afterwards with reporters.
"Any thickening of the border, with country of origin labeling, we'll take exception to that," said Ritz.
In speaking to reporters Ritz said the federal government would move forward with e-certification, and said there is a program with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency underway where they would, in the next three to five years, to change from paper to an electronic system for certification.
Ritz also expressed support for the new PNWER president and his pledge to get more agricultural issues on the organization's agenda.
"Getting an agricultural bent on what PNWER does is certainly good," said Ritz.
The PNWER summit, held July 11 to 15 at both the Delta Bessborough and the Sheraton Cavalier in Saskatoon, attracted elected officials and business leaders from across the Northwest region of North America to Saskatchewan.
The organization promotes economic co-operation and topics at the summit included trade, energy, mining, the environment and others of importance to the region.
This was the first summit held in Saskatchewan since the province joined the organization. Previously PNWER had held its winter meeting in Regina in 2009.
Among those attending were members of parliament and several members of the provincial cabinet including Premier Brad Wall, who spoke at the event Monday.
Also in attendance was former Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Michael Chisholm, who has been active in PNWER, serving as a vice-president in the organization while he was an MLA.
In his presidential acceptance speech Stewart paid tribute to Chisholm's efforts to bring Saskatchewan into the PNWER organization. He thanked Chisholm for "all that you've done for the Saskatchewan-PNWER relationship."
