P.E.I. has voice in federal cabinet again as Heath MacDonald named agriculture minister

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: May 13, 2025 11:56 AM EDT | Last Updated: 19 minutes ago

Prince Edward Island erstwhile again has practice astatine the national furniture table.

Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald arsenic Canada's caller curate of agriculture and agri-food Tuesday. As usual, helium volition beryllium the sole dependable for Canada's smallest state successful the national cabinet. 

It archetypal became wide that MacDonald was successful the furniture astatine astir 10:30 a.m. AT, erstwhile helium was spotted walking with different furniture members to Rideau Hall, the authoritative residence of Canada's governor-general.

About an hr and a fractional later, his circumstantial portfolio was announced.

MacDonald is a erstwhile provincial concern curate who has held Malpeque for the Liberals since 2021. He was re-elected successful the April 28 wide predetermination with 57.6 per cent of the ballot successful the cardinal P.E.I. riding.

The agriculture portfolio was antecedently held by erstwhile P.E.I. MP Lawrence MacAulay, first from 2015 to 2019, and past again from 2023 until March this year.

The Malpeque riding was antecedently represented by Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who was Canada's Solicitor General from 2002 to 2003, and past from 2004 to 2006 served arsenic parliamentary caput to the national curate of agriculture and agri-food, with a peculiar accent connected agrarian development. 

Minister urged to code issues 

Rita Jackson, a territory manager for the National Farmers Union connected P.E.I., said she hopes MacDonald volition instrumentality connected immoderate of the pressing issues facing the province's farming community, including the nonaccomplishment of farmland.

"At the existent rate, we volition person mislaid fractional of our farming onshore by 2050. Now, 2050 is lone 25 years away. It's nothing. It goes by successful the blink of an eye," she told CBC News Tuesday afternoon.

Jackson said it's besides important for the national authorities to enactment caller and aspiring farmers, who look precocious barriers to entry, particularly erstwhile it comes to the outgo of land.

"If you privation to bargain a smallish farm... let's accidental 120 acres, the asking terms is $1 million. Now, if you get a $1 cardinal owe to bargain your workplace implicit 25 years astatine 5 per cent, it's going to outgo you conscionable a small spot nether $70,000 a year. How are you going to marque $70,000 a twelvemonth farming?"

Jackson, who is besides a husbandman herself, said the authorities should see offering much fiscal enactment to farmers, specified arsenic a basal income tied to sustainable cultivation practices like improving ungraded health, planting trees and protecting h2o and wildlife.

"We arsenic farmers bash each of that, and we're not compensated for it," she said.

While Jackson said she looks guardant to seeing what MacDonald volition bash successful his caller role, she noted she hasn't had overmuch luck getting successful interaction with him truthful far, adjacent though he's her MP.

"I've called him connected a fig of occasions astir antithetic things, and I've ne'er spoken to him. He ne'er called back," she said. "Well, Heath, archetypal of all, I privation you to springiness maine a call. Call maine back. You've got my number. I've near astatine slightest 15 messages astir assorted things."