Finally, PM gets home advantage for Biden meeting

WASHINGTON - Joe Biden's last official visit to Canada came with a palpable sense of foreboding.

Change was in the air. Authoritarian leaders in Syria and Turkey were consolidating power. Britain had voted to leave the European Union. And Donald Trump was waiting in the wings to take over the White House.

"Genuine leaders" were in short supply, and Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be called upon to step up, said the U.S. vice-president, who was on a farewell tour of sorts in the waning days of the Obama administration.

Six years later, Biden is coming back — this time as president — and the world is very different. His message likely won't be.

Canadian milk plant a sign of Ukrainian resilience

KRASNE, Ukraine - The cows on Lyuba Pastushok's farm are like her "cheeky children," she explained in Ukrainian as she walked among her growing herd, gently cooing to them and softly petting their heads.

A few years ago there were only five cows on her small family operation in Holoskovychi, a rural community an hour and a half east of the nearest city of Lviv, in western Ukraine.

Now she tends to 25 cows, six of which she bought after Russian forces invaded the country.

Wrapped up against the cold with a kerchief tied over her head, the Ukrainian matriarch pointed out each by name, her voice full of motherly pride.

Brace for familiar Canada-U.S. trade anxiety

WASHINGTON - It's been less than three years since the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement replaced NAFTA as the law of the land in continental trade, and there are already hints of the existential anxiety that preceded it.

That's because of the so-called "sunset provision," a clause that reflects the lingering working-class distrust of globalization in the U.S. that helped Donald Trump get elected president back in 2016.

Article 34.7 of the agreement, the "review and term extension" clause, establishes a 16-year life cycle that requires all three countries to sit down every six years to ensure everyone is still satisfied.

That clock began ticking in the summer of 2020. If it runs out in 2026, it triggers a self-destruct mechanism of sorts, ensuring the agreement — known in Canada as CUSMA — would expire 10 years later without a three-way consensus.

POTUS and the PM, together at last in Canada

OTTAWA - U.S. President Joe Biden arrived Thursday evening in Ottawa for a whirlwind 27-hour visit expected to focus on both the friendly and thorny aspects of the Canada-U.S. relationship, including protectionism and migration on both sides of the border.

The welcoming party for the president and first lady Jill Biden included Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, the American ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, and Canada's envoy in the U.S., Kirsten Hillman.

Biden began his time in Ottawa by meeting Gov. Gen Mary Simon.The U.S. president along with the first lady were then greeted byPrime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, at their home at Rideau Cottage.

"This will be the first true, in-person bilateral meeting between the two leaders in Canada since 2009," said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

Eight skunks found dead in B.C. had avian flu

VICTORIA - Eight skunks found dead last month in Vancouver and nearby Richmond, B.C., tested positive for avian flu.

British Columbia's Ministry of Agriculture says the skunks were infected with the same H5N1 strain that has caused the deaths of millions of domestic poultry since the outbreak began in April last year.

The skunks were found in residential areas in both cities and were taken to B.C.'s Animal Health Centre over concerns they may have been deliberately poisoned.

The ministry says in a statement the skunks may have contracted H5N1 by scavenging on infected wild birds.

McCain to make $600M investment in southern Alta.

CALGARY - French fry giant McCain Foods Ltd. has announced it will spend $600 million to double the size of its potato processing facility in southern Alberta.

The Toronto-based food manufacturing company — which boasts that it makes one in every four French fries produced worldwide — is making the largest investment in its history in order to double output at its Coaldale facility, just east of the city of Lethbridge.

McCain said the project will create two new production lines, one for French fries and one for other frozen potato specialty products. Once completed, the expansion is expected to create 260 new jobs, more than doubling the facility's current workforce.

"We are projecting strong volume growth over the next five years and need this expansion to accommodate the expected growth," said McCain Foods CEO Max Koeune in an emailed statement.

Biden to finally visit Canada March 23-24

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Ottawa on March 23 to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Canadian soil, his first visit north of the border since taking the oath of office in 2021.

The president and his wife Jill Biden will spend two days in Canada, the White House confirmed Thursday, although a detailed itinerary has not yet been released.

The two leaders will discuss ongoing upgrades to the aging, jointly led Norad continental defence system, which came under heavy scrutiny last month when a Chinese surveillance balloon drifted through U.S. and Canadian airspace.

Fears, too, about unchecked Russian aggression and the ability of the two countries to defend the continent's northern frontier have only accelerated in the year since the start of Vladimir Putin's bloody invasion of Ukraine.

Canadian aid came just in time: Ukrainian farmer

CHERNEVE, LVIV OBLAST, UKRAINE - Oleh His marches with pride and purpose in rain-soaked mud through row upon row of large white polyethylene bags, each stamped with a Canadian logo and filled to bursting with this year's harvest of grain.

The 24-year-old grain farmer with a slight build, fair hair and braces is also a volunteer with the Ukrainian military. He splits his time between running the family farm and sourcing money and supplies for the front.

When Russia invaded Ukraine last year, His knew right away he would have a problem.

"The logistical connection of agricultural products with the rest of the world has broken," His said in Ukrainian through a translator at his farm, AgroKorovai, just 17 kilometres from the border with Poland.

Trudeau says he will help farmers with inflation

LONGUEUIL, Que. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is looking at how it can provide targeted aid to farmers who are struggling with inflation.

Trudeau, who made the comments at a meeting with farmers at the headquarters of Quebec's farmer's association, the L'Union des producteurs agricoles, in Longueuil, says he wants to ensure that any aid for farmers doesn't make inflation worse.

He says that while inflation has started to slow, the government wants to ensure farmers and others who are struggling can hold on for the next six months to a year.

Daniel Lebelle, a dairy and grain farmer from the Centre-du-Québec region, told the prime minister that his costs have risen 40 per cent since inflation began to rise.

Nutrien to slightly delay potash production hike

CALGARY - Nutrien Ltd. will slightly delay the timing of its plan to ramp up potash production, due to slumping sales.

The Saskatoon-based company, which is the largest fertilizer producer in the world, announced disappointing fourth-quarter financial results Wednesday evening.

Nutrien Ltd. came in below Wall Street estimates, earning $1.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022, down seven per cent from the same quarter a year earlier.

On a conference call with analysts Thursday, CEO Ken Seitz said Nutrien will slightly delay its previously announced plan to increase its annual potash production capability to 18 million tonnes by 2025, and will instead reach that milestone by 2026 instead.

Canadian pragmatism, not panic, on Buy American

WASHINGTON - Construction industry advocates, business leaders and suppliers in Canada are taking a cautious, almost sanguine approach to U.S. President Joe Biden's latest state-of-the-union salvo against the use of foreign building materials in federally funded infrastructure projects.

Two years into Biden's term, one of his most popular applause lines — "Buy American" — conjures more frown lines than full-on terror north of the border these days, a sign that a measure of stateside protectionism is now baked in to the reality of Canada-U.S. relations.

The president upped the ante modestly Tuesday, promising to extend procurement rules for federal projects beyond just iron and steel, to also include components like lumber, drywall, glass and even fibre-optic cable, as well as non-ferrous metals like copper and aluminum.

The rules allow for exemptions in cases where domestic sources can't fill the demand alone or would be too costly — which means that in practical terms, the math is on Canada's side, said Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association of Canada.

Milk shakeup: U.S. launches second USMCA dispute panel in dairy battle with Canada

WASHINGTON - The United States doubled down Tuesday in its ongoing dispute with Canada over dairy imports, accusing one of its closest trading partners of shirking its responsibilities under the terms of North America's three-year-old trade agreement.

It's the second time in less than two years that the U.S. has established what's known as a dispute settlement panel to address the way Ottawa distributes its allotment of dairy tariff rate quotas, or TRQs — the quantities of certain dairy products that can enter Canada at lower duty levels.

That first panel, launched in May 2021, largely agreed with the U.S. complaint that Canada was allocating too much of its quota allotment to processors instead of producers — a strategy that American producers saw as an affront to their ability to export their products north of the border.

A new panel, established under the dispute resolution rules of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, is necessary because Canada failed to adequately respond to the first one, said U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

129 neglected cattle seized from B.C. property with ‘numerous’ dead animals: SPCA

CAWSTON, B.C. - Animal protection officers with the SPCA have seized 129 cattle from a property in southeastern British Columbia.

The society says the neglected cattle were being housed in substandard conditions on a property in Cawston, B.C., with no access to shelter or protection from the elements.

The society's Eileen Drever says in a statement that the cows did not have adequate food or drinking water and were struggling to move through the mud.

They were also suffering from a range of medical issues, including untreated eye infections, lameness, inflamed udders, overgrown hoofs and diarrhea.

U.S. senators call for trade crackdown on Canada over dairy quotas, digital policies

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. senators are calling on the Biden administration to get tough with Canada and Mexico over what they describe as the two countries "flouting" their obligations under North America's three-year-old trade agreement.

Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Republican Sen. Mike Crapo, respectively the chairman and ranking member on the Senate finance committee, laid out their concerns in a letter Thursday to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

In it, they describe the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement as an "innovative" tool for raising standards across the continent in areas like fair market access and digital trade.

But America's continental trading partners are still playing fast and loose with the new rules, they write, urging Tai to mark the agreement's anniversary by pressing both Canada and Mexico to get back in line.

Months-long saga of runaway cattle in Quebec comes to an end with weekend capture

MONTREAL - The remaining fugitive cattle that had been on the lam in central Quebec since July were finally recaptured over the weekend, bringing an end to an unusual saga that has involved cowboys and covert nighttime operations.

The last three cattle that escaped from a farm last summer were rounded up Saturday night and returned the next day to their owner in St-Sévère, Que., about 130 kilometres northeast of Montreal, Quebec's farmers union said Monday.

"I don't think we'll soon see 24 cows gone for nearly six months," Jean-Sébastien Dubé, a spokesman for the Union des producteurs agricoles, said in an interview.

The saga began in July, when 24 cows escaped from a farm in Quebec's Mauricie region. About half returned on their own while others crossed a stream and hid in the woods, coming out at night to eat the crops of nearby farms. By late November, the animals had caused up to $25,000 in damage to crops, mostly by lying down in soya fields and beheading ears of corn.

Aurora Cannabis closes sale of Aurora Polaris facility for $15M in gross proceeds

EDMONTON - Aurora Cannabis Inc. says it has closed the sale of its Aurora Polaris facility.

The company says gross proceeds from the sale totalled about $15 million.

Aurora announced in 2021 that it would close the Alberta property as part of a plan to streamline its operations.

It said at the time that the location's medical distribution operations would move to the Aurora Sky facility, while manufacturing would be relocated to Aurora River in Bradford, Ont.

Four runaway cows in Quebec caught in covert operation and returned to thankful owner

QUEBEC - It took a covert operation after nightfall and the help of freshly fallen snow to round up four cows from a herd of cattle that have been on the loose for months in central Quebec, an official with Quebec's farmers union said Monday.

The four runaways, who along with the rest of the herd have wreaked havoc on farmers' fields, were reunited Sunday with their owner in St-Sévère, Que., about 130 kilometres northeast of Montreal, Martin Marcouiller, with the Union des producteurs agricoles, said in an interview.

"The owner was very happy to have at least the four back," Marcouiller said. "He put them in a barn with a lot of hay, litter, a lot of grass to eat, and water. So, now they need to get used to being around humans again."

Marcouiller said the farmers union kept the operation on Saturday night quiet so that curious onlookers wouldn't compromise the plan, adding that not even the owner of the animals was in the loop.

Four cows have been captured in a small Quebec town after months on the loose

QUEBEC - After several months on the run, four cows from a herd of runaway cattle were captured on Saturday night in St-Sévère, Que.

The regional chapter of the Union des producteurs agricoles says the cows were transported back to their original farm on Sunday morning.

Specialists examined the cows after their capture and confirmed the animals were in good shape.

The union says weather conditions over the last few days prevented the entire herd from being captured, so another operation will take place soon to catch seven or eight animals that remain at large.

Bull riders returning to Brandon

atAfter making their Brandon debut in 2022, Professional Bull Riders Canada is returning to the Wheat City in the spring for another elite cup series event.

Climate change affecting Christmas tree farms across Canada, expert say

VANCOUVER - The effects of climate change are taking a toll on Christmas tree farms across Canada, with one forestry expert and the head of the Canadian Christmas Tree Association saying the sector that's already undergoing shifts will need to adapt.

The festive trees take eight to 12 years to reach the size most people look for, and young seedlings are particularly vulnerable to climate risks, said Richard Hamelin, head of the forest conservation sciences department at the University of B.C.

Much of the province has experienced prolonged drought and extreme heat over the last two summers, and the seedlings have shallow root systems that don't reach beyond the very dry layers of soil near the surface, Hamelin explained.

Meanwhile, their older counterparts may survive but lose their needles or turn brown as a result of extreme heat and drought, he said in an interview.

Canadian agriculture groups hope new Indo-Pacific strategy leads to trade deals

OTTAWA - Agriculture commodity groups are applauding the Liberal government’s long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy and hoping it will lead to more, and better, free trade deals.

The strategy, announced Sunday in Vancouver, includes commitments to increase military spending and build closer ties with countries such as India.

Included in the $2.3-billion plan is a promise to earmark $244.1 million for improving trade between Canada and countries in the region.

While no specific targets or benchmarks are included in the strategy, and questions remain over how effectively the dollars will be spent, the heightened focus on the region is being celebrated by agriculture groups in Canada.

Don’t have a cow: Senator’s legen-dairy speech draws metaphor from bovine caper

OTTAWA - Haven't you herd? A dramatic tale of 20 escaped cows, nine cowboys and a drone recently unfolded in St-Sévère, Que., and it behooved a Canadian senator to milk it for all it was worth.

Prompting priceless reactions of surprise from her colleagues, Sen. Julie Miville-Dechêne recounted the story of the bovine fugitives in the Senate chamber this week — and attempted to make a moo-ving point about politics.

"Honourable senators, usually, when we do tributes here, it is to recognize the achievements of our fellow citizens," Miville-Dechêne began in French, having chosen to wear a white blouse with black spots for the occasion.

"However, today, I want to express my amused admiration for a remarkably determined herd of cows."

Mounties in southern Alberta help owner round up ostriches that escaped from a pen

TABER, Alta. - RCMP in southern Alberta had an unusual chase this morning after 20 ostriches escaped their pen.

Mounties say in a statement that they started receiving reports just before 8 a.m. about the birds on the road near Taber, Alta.

They say one of the 20 ostriches was hit and killed on the road.

With the help of the farmer, officers were able to locate and capture most of the other loose birds.

Seven commercial poultry flocks in B.C.’s Fraser Valley have bird flu: ministry

VICTORIA - Seven commercial poultry farms in British Columbia's Fraser Valley have been quarantined because they've tested positive for a highly infectious avian flu.

A statement from the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture says the farms tested positive between Nov. 16 and Nov. 19.

Six of the farms are in Abbotsford and one is in Chilliwack, in the Fraser Valley, the same area where more than 17 million birds were culled in 2004 when avian flu swept through numerous farms.

The ministry says producers within a 10-kilometre radius have been notified and all infected farms have been placed under quarantine by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.