Downtown Diner 

The annual Downtown Diner was held on October 3rd in collaboration with Egg Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, and Dairy Farmers of Canda on Sparks Street in Ottawa. CFC’s Rick Kaptein, along with other poultry, egg and dairy farmers, engaged with government officials and the public, highlighting the importance of supply management to communities across Canada. Farmers also took the occasion to discuss government policies and legislation that ensures a strong national food system, such as Bill C-282. The pop-up diner was a great success with 45 Parliamentarians dropping by to meet farmers and show their support for made-in-Canada food. 

 

Downtown Diner: Chicken Farmers of Canada Director Rick Kaptein showing Member of Parliament Rob Oliphant his chicken farm operation.  

 

CFC Fall Lobby Day  

Chicken Farmers of Canada hosted its Fall Lobby Day on November 5th in Ottawa. CFC representatives from across the country participated in meetings with Parliamentarians to discuss key priorities and issues impacting the chicken sector. Representatives discussed the day-to-day realities of operating a chicken farm, continuing support for supply management, and Federal-Provincial-Territorial government recognition of the Raised by a Canadian Farmer Animal Care Program. Other key topics included spent fowl, avian influenza, antimicrobial use and resistance, as well as important legislation like Bill C-282. We had a successful day on Parliament Hill and met with a total of 30 Parliamentarians from across the country.  

 

Fall Lobby Day: Barry Uyterlinde, CFC Chair Tim Klompmaker, Minister Lawrence MacAulay, Dean Good, CFC CEO Michael Laliberté. 

 

Committee Appearance 

Chicken Farmers of Canada appeared before Senate committees this fall to speak to important legislation that impacts the chicken sector: 

• CFC Chair Tim Klompmaker and CFC CEO Michael Laliberté appeared at the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee to speak in support of Bill C-275, An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act (biosecurity on farms) on September 19th. 

• CFC Chair Tim Klompmaker and CFC Associate Executive Director Yves Ruel appeared at the Senate Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee to speak in support of Bill C-282, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management) on September 26th.   

 

Cabinet Shuffle  

On December 20, 2024, Prime Minister Trudeau made several changes to his cabinet. The PM added eight new Liberal MPs to cabinet and reassigned four Ministers to new portfolios. See full cabinet list here https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet.   

Government Changes  

On January 6, 2025, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that the government will prorogue until March 24, 2025, and that he will resign as Liberal Party Leader and Prime Minister once a new Liberal leader is selected. During prorogation, the parliamentary session and business effectively terminates. Members are released from their parliamentary duties until Parliament is next summoned. All unfinished business is dropped from or “dies” on the Order Paper and all committees stop business. Bills which have not received Royal Assent before prorogation are “entirely terminated”. On occasion, bills have been reinstated by motion at the start of a new session at the same stage they had reached at the end of the previous session. What this means for Private Member Bills that we have been advocating for or against (i.e. C-282, C-293, C-234) is that the bills are effectively terminated, unless Parliament passes a motion to reinstate them at the same stage they reached before prorogation, once it resumes on March 24th.