Grant Hunter named Alta. parliamentary secretary for agrifood development

Jul 18, 2023

He will report to Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Premier Danielle Smith appointed the MLA for Taber-Warner as one of eight parliamentary secretaries.

Grant Hunter, who’s represented the riding since 2015, is the parliamentary secretary for agrifood development and will report to Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson.

As parliamentary secretary, Hunter will assist Minister Sigurdson in carrying out his duties and can speak on the minister’s behalf in the provincial legislature when the minister is absent.

Hunter has also shown his support for the ag sector.

"Grant has been working for the past two years on building a super-cluster of agri-food processors in Southern Alberta," his UCP profile says.

Hunter previously served as the associate minister of red tape reduction in 2019.

In 2020, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business presented Hunter with the Golden Scissors Award for cutting red rape.

In that role, he also helped Alberta earn an A grade from the CFIB in January 2021 for red tape. The province previously had a B-minus.

In the most recent legislative session, he sponsored multiple bills aimed at reducing red tape, as well as amendments to gaming, liquor and cannabis law.

The other parliamentary secretaries are:

Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, Parliamentary Secretary for Settlement Services and Ukrainian Evacuees reporting to the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism
Andrew Boitchenko, Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Relations, reporting to the Minister of Indigenous Relations
Chantelle de Jonge, Parliamentary Secretary for Affordability and Utilities, reporting to the Minister of Affordability and Utilities
Shane Getson, Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridor Development, reporting to the Minister of Intergovernmental Relations
Martin Long, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health, reporting to the Minister of Health
Scott Sinclair, Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous Policing, reporting to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Tany Yao, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Northern Development, reporting to the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade

Video: How women saved agricultural economics and other ideas for why diversity matters | Jill J. McCluskey

Dr. Jill J. McCluskey, Regents Professor at Washington State University and Director of the School of Economic Science

Dr. McCluskey documents that women entered agricultural economics in significant numbers starting in the 1980s, and their ranks have increased over time. She argues that women have increased the relevance in the field of agricultural economics through their diverse interests, perspectives, and experiences. In their research, women have expanded the field's treatment of non-traditional topics such as food safety and nutrition and environmental and natural resource economics. In this sense, women saved the Agricultural Economics profession from a future as a specialty narrowly focused on agricultural production and markets. McCluskey will go on to discuss some of her own story and how it has shaped some of her thinking and research. She will present her research on dual-career couples in academia, promotional achievement of women in both Economics and Agricultural Economics, and work-life support programs.

The Daryl F. Kraft Lecture is arranged by the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, with the support of the Solomon Sinclair Farm Management Institute, and in cooperation with the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences.