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

Prince Edward Island once again has representation at the federal cabinet table.

Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald as Canada's new minister of agriculture and agri-food Tuesday. As usual, he will be the sole voice for Canada's smallest province in the federal cabinet. 

It first became clear that MacDonald was in the cabinet at about 10:30 a.m. AT, when he was spotted walking with other cabinet members to Rideau Hall, the official residence of Canada's Governor General.

About an hour and a half later, his specific portfolio was announced.

MacDonald is a former provincial finance minister who has held Malpeque for the Liberals since 2021. He was re-elected in the April 28 general election with 57.6 per cent of the vote in the central P.E.I. riding.

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

The Malpeque riding was previously represented by Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who was Canada's solicitor general from 2002 to 2003, and then from 2004 to 2006 served as parliamentary secretary to the federal minister of agriculture and agri-food, with a special emphasis on rural development. 

Rita Jackson, a district director for the National Farmers Union on P.E.I., said she hopes MacDonald will take on some of the pressing issues facing the province's farming community, including the loss of farmland.

"At the current rate, we will have lost half of our farming land by 2050. Now, 2050 is only 25 years away. It's nothing. It goes by in the blink of an eye," she told CBC News Tuesday afternoon.

Jackson said it's also important for the federal government to support new and aspiring farmers, who face high barriers to entry, especially when it comes to the cost of land.

"If you want to buy a smallish farm... let's say 120 acres, the asking price is $1 million. Now, if you get a $1 million mortgage to buy your farm over 25 years at five per cent, it's going to cost you just a little bit under $70,000 a year. How are you going to make $70,000 a year farming?"

Jackson, who is also a farmer herself, said the government should consider offering more financial support to farmers, such as a basic income tied to sustainable agricultural practices like improving soil health, planting trees and protecting water and wildlife.

"We as farmers do all of that, and we're not compensated for it," she said.

While Jackson said she looks forward to seeing what MacDonald will do in his new role, she noted she hasn't had much luck getting in touch with him so far, even though he's her MP.