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Horses from Winnipeg sent abroad for slaughter

Horses have forever been admired, featured prominently in popular children’s books and television programs, noted for being sleek, majestic, poetry in motion. But they also have a high level of emotional intelligence. A University of Sussex study found that horses can read emotional cues from our facial expressions, not only recognizing human emotions, but also deeply absorbing them.

Agriculture, food innovation needs to lead way

Here we are on the cusp of a new year. The challenges facing food and agriculture have never been so daunting. Yet the opportunities have never loomed so large.

Crucial choices to be made on biodiversity issue

If you’re looking for a conversation starter as families and friends gather around your holiday feasts this week, you might set out the new accord to protect global biodiversity for them to chew on.

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.

Public has its role to play in evolving food attitudes

One of the things I love about my job is the opportunity to hear smart people say interesting things that prompt me to view an issue through a different lens.

Hexo reports $52.1M net loss in Q2, announces share consolidation

GATINEAU, Que. - Hexo Corp. says its most recent quarter delivered a $52.1 million net loss as the cannabis company purged unprofitable products and streamlined its business.

The Gatineau, Que.-based firm's first quarter net loss compared with a net loss of more than $116.9 million a year earlier.

The loss for the period ended Oct. 31 amounted to a net loss of nine cents per basic and diluted share compared with a net loss of 46 cents per basic and diluted share a year prior.

Net revenue in the quarter totalled $35.8 million, down from $50.2 million in the same period last year.

Former CannTrust leaders acquitted in unlicensed growing trial

TORONTO - An Ontario court has acquitted three former cannabis leaders charged with offences linked to unlicensed growing at a Niagara area greenhouse.

The ex-CannTrust Holdings Inc. executives Peter Aceto, Eric Paul and Mark Litwin were freed of their charges a day after the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) revealed it no longer had a reasonable prospect of convicting the men.

The acquittal marks a stunning reversal for the OSC, which had been pursuing its first court case involving a publicly traded cannabis company since it laid charges against the ex-CannTrust executives last year.

Following the acquittal, the OSC said it is "considering the implications of the decision and assessing its options" because CannTrust's disclosure of unlicensed growing in July 2019 caused "significant investor losses."

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.

Halifax long-term care facility gets funding to boost use of locally produced food

HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is looking to move toward its goal of having 20 per cent of food purchases come from local sources by 2030 through a new financial incentive for institutions with large kitchens.

Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow announced a $250,000 program Friday that will be piloted for three months at Halifax-based long-term care facility Northwood.

Morrow said the Northwood residence is getting up to $25,000 from the program, which is expected to be expanded to other nursing homes as well as public schools, hospitals, universities and correctional facilities.

“We’ve got work to do to hit that target, and so we figured why not start with some of the biggest kitchens in the province,” the minister told reporters.

French activists protest against killing of male chicks

PARIS (AP) — French animal rights activists on Wednesday protested what they say are broad exceptions in legislation that was meant to ban the practice of killing unwanted male chicks after they hatch.

The culling ban is set to take effect in January. France-based animal rights group L214 said exceptions allowed by the government will make the law inefficient.

Activists staged a protest near the Agriculture Ministry in Paris, with some using stuffed animals to simulate chicks being put to death. Some lawmakers from the hard-left France Unbowed party, including party leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, took part to the event.

The egg industry does not use the male chicks born at hatcheries because which cannot lay eggs and are different breeds than poultry chickens. About 50 million male chicks are killed in France each year, according to the government. The methods include crushing and gassing.

CannTrust CEO was warned over illicit pot growing: former compliance worker

TORONTO - A former director of quality and compliance at CannTrust Holdings Inc. says he warned the company's chief executive that Health Canada could levy penalties if the firm grew cannabis in unlicensed rooms at its Niagara, Ont. facility.

In the months leading up to Health Canada finding pot growing in unlicensed rooms, Graham Lee said Tuesday that he told Peter Aceto he couldn't say what the exact consequences could be, but knew the government regulator had previously issued warning letters and handed out penalties.

For example, Lee said Health Canada reviewed CannTrust's inventory more extensively after it discovered the company using a storage facility at its Vaughan, Ont. location contrary to licensing.

“In general, Health Canada was there every day checking up on the inventory," Lee recalled.

Former CannTrust compliance worker says unlicensed growing ‘very openly’ discussed

TORONTO - A former director of quality and compliance at CannTrust Holdings Inc. says the growth of cannabis in unlicensed rooms was "very openly discussed" at the pot company.

“There was no hiding this. There was no denial of this," Graham Lee told the Ontario court of justice's Old City Hall court on Monday.

The issue was discussed on multiple occasions, even with members of the senior leadership team, Lee added.

His remarks come as three former executives at the cannabis company face a series of securities offences linked to unlicensed growing that allegedly occurred at a Niagara, Ont. area facility owned by CannTrust, which is now called Phoena Holdings Inc.

Canopy breaks out Canadian operations in new unit, lays off 55

SMITHS FALLS, Ont. - Canopy Growth Corp. says it will be breaking out its Canadian cannabis operations into a stand-alone business unit and laying off 55 staff.

Brenna Eller, the Smiths Falls, Ont. pot company's vice-president of communications, says the move is meant to help the company reach profitability.

She did not say what roles the laid off workers had or where they were located.

As part of the changes, Eller says Dave Paterson will now serve as its president of Canadian operations.

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.

CannTrust execs linked to unlicensed growing caused ‘incredible’ damage, court hears

TORONTO - A lawyer representing Ontario's securities regulator says three former executives whose cannabis company was caught growing pot in unlicensed rooms were in positions to disclose the improper growing but didn't.

Dihim Emami, a lawyer for the Ontario Securities Commission, said in a Toronto court Monday that by not disclosing the unlicensed growing at CannTrust Holdings Inc., Peter Aceto, Eric Paul and Mark Litwin caused "incredible" damage.

The impact on investors alone was "significant, to put it mildly."

"Ultimately, investors rely on the representations that CannTrust made and unfortunately it was to their detriment," said Emami, in his opening statements made at the Ontario court of justice's Old City Hall court.

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.