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Serving Agriculture:
Canada's Ministers of Agriculture

Lyle Vanclief

Birthplace

Ameliasburg, Ontario

Federal Constituency

Prince Edward--Hastings, Ontario

Education

University of Guelph (B.Sc.Ag. 1966)

Professional Background

Operator and manager of family-owned Willowlee Farms.

Political Affiliation

Liberal

Political Career

Vanclief was elected as the Member of Parliament for Prince Edward-Hastings in November 1988, and re-elected in October 1993, June 1997 and November 2000.

Following his re-election in June 1997, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister Coordinating Rural Affairs.

Between December 1993 and December 1996, he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, playing a key role in defining the Government of Canada's response to sweeping changes in international agricultural trade rules. He has also served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Industry Issues

During six and a half years as the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Vanclief dealt with a wide variety of issues that affected farm incomes, including low commodity prices, animal and plant diseases, drought, flooding and international trade disputes.

Vanclief was committed to working toward an agreement through agricultural negotiations at the World Trade Organization that would level the international playing field upon which the Canadian agriculture sector competes.

In May 2003, Canada's first case of BSE was detected in a single cow in Alberta, and until his departure in December 2003, Vanclief worked with provincial agriculture ministers and with the beef and cattle industry to strengthen Canada's livestock food safety system and restore markets.

Departmental Developments

AAFC work focussed on expanding markets, promoting innovation for a sustainable future, developing a strong foundation for the sector and for rural communities, and developing measures for sound departmental management.

Accomplishments as Minister

Vanclief's tenure saw the sector through difficulties that included BSE, depressed farm incomes and contentious international trade negotiations. As Minister, he worked to decrease trade-distorting subsidies at an international level, and encouraged the development of long-term domestic income stabilization programs that would eliminate the need for ad hoc assistance to the farm community.

Working with provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture, Vanclief established the Agricultural Policy Framework, a federal-provincial-territorial agreement that aims to make Canada the world leader in food safety and quality, environmentally responsible production, and innovation.