Return to
 Table of Contents

Serving Agriculture:
Canada's Ministers of Agriculture

Sydney Arthur Fisher

Birthplace

Federal Constituency

Education

Professional Background

Political Affiliation

"We were aiming for a partnership with farmers and the provinces . . . trying to grow the pie rather than haggling over the size of the piece."
-- Don Mazankowski, 1997

Political Career

Fisher was elected as a Liberal MP in 1882 and served until he lost by a majority of one in the face of Prime Minister Macdonald's Conservatives' final electoral victory in 1891. Fisher accepted an appointment to the Quebec Council of Agriculture. Five years later, he was re-elected when Laurier's Liberals swept to power. His passion and experience as a farmer and agricultural activist as well as an MP made him a logical choice for agriculture minister. He served as an MP and as minister of agriculture for the next 15 years.

Laurier and his Liberal party--including Fisher--lost the 1911 general election over the reciprocity issue. Fisher retired from public life and died in Ottawa in 1921.

Industry Issues

In 1896, the public land once available in the American west was closed. The Canadian Prairies became the "Last Best West" and a new era of settlement and agricultural expansion began. Rising prices and inexpensive shipping created a world market for hard spring wheat, and prairie production grew from 29 to 209 million bushels a year. Marquis wheat, developed mostly by Charles Saunders (son of experimental farms director William Saunders), was introduced in 1907 and soon accounted for 90 per cent of prairie production. Western settlement and development led to the creation of two new provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta, in 1905.

In 1901, bad management kept the CPR from moving more than a third of a bumper wheat crop before freeze-up on Lake Superior. National Policy tariffs prevented western farmers from buying inexpensive American machinery and manufactured goods. Dissatisfied farmers formed co-operatives to advance their political and business interests. By the fall of 1910, grievances climaxed as 1,000 farmers staged the "March on Ottawa" to protest government inaction on tariffs, freight rates and land policies. Laurier drafted a reciprocity (free trade) agreement with the Americans, but both Laurier and farmers were defeated when eastern business interests and blue-collar workers would not support reciprocity.

Departmental Developments

Fisher's legacy as agriculture minister includes a major expansion of the scope and activities of the department. Amendments to the Experimental Farms Stations Act in 1900 extended the branch farm system and new research stations opened in every province. The Tobacco Branch was organized in the department in 1905 to encourage and develop this new industry.

In 1897, the Canadian and American departments of agriculture agreed to co-operate in the reporting and tracking of livestock diseases. The new co-operative inspection agreement significantly increased livestock trade between the two countries. In 1899, the department appointed a livestock commissioner. A biological laboratory was established on the Central Experimental Farm in 1902 to research animal disease control.

After 1907, the Meat and Canned Foods Act provided for the inspection of meat packing plants and canning factories. Departmental veterinarians and inspectors have worked at food establishments ever since.

A seed laboratory was established in Ottawa in 1903 to test seeds for their germination and purity. The Seed Control Act of 1905 allowed the government to regulate the quality of Canadian seeds under the authority of a new seed commissioner. Additional seed laboratories across Canada continued this work.

Accomplishments as Minister

• The Grains Act (1900) regulated and provided inspectors for the western wheat industry.
• An Animal Contagious Diseases Act amendment (1904) compensated livestock owners whose animals were slaughtered to control the spread of disease.
• The Act Respecting the Incorporation of Livestock Records (1900, 1905) created one record association to validate credentials for each breed, making it easier to export purebred animals.
• The Fruit Marks Act (1901) standardized fruit grades and grade marks on fruit packaging, and introduced inspection at ports to facilitate commercial production and trade.
• New dairy products legislation (1903) prohibited margarine and introduced quality control regulations for butter and cheese to facilitate exports.
• The Cold Storage Act (1907) and similar regulations encouraged the use of public cold storage warehouses and refrigerated shipping for dairy products and fruit.
• The San José Scale Act (1898) and Destructive Insect and Pest Act (1910) introduced inspection and quarantine to prevent pests and disease spreading through fruit trees and crops.

Worth Noting

• The prairie protest movement that was active during Fisher's tenure started the political careers of two future Liberal ministers of agriculture: Thomas Crerar, founder of what became the United Grain Growers, and W.R. Motherwell, founder of the Territorial (Saskatchewan) Grain Growers' Association.
• Reports show that the government was recovering costs for services even at the turn of the century. Fees charged for livestock inspection ranged from two cents to one dollar per animal.