Gerry Ritz, who spends his winters in Arizona, recently reflected on his pivotal role in one of the most significant shifts in Canadian agriculture. His leadership was instrumental in ending the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) monopoly on August 1, 2012, through the passage of Bill C-18, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act.
Ritz expressed concern over the current direction of federal leadership and its impact on Canada’s relationship with its largest trading partner, the United States.
“It’s a disgrace that our democracy has dropped to this level,” Ritz said. President-elect Donald Trump’s warning to Canada to secure its borders or face a 25 per cent tariff on goods has raised concerns. Instead of addressing the root issue—monitoring individuals entering Canada and crossing into the U.S.—the government deflected attention by focusing the media on the tariff threat.
Ritz emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Canada partnership, calling the United States Canada’s largest ally and trading partner. He believes that ignoring the border concerns risks damaging this critical relationship. “Mr. Trump is right in saying to clean that mess up. They haven’t begun to do that. So we will be facing tariffs, I’m sure of it.”
He also pointed out that some farm organizations are beginning to take a stand, acknowledging the need for stronger leadership. “Finally, they’re growing a spine and starting to stand up,” Ritz said. However, he expressed frustration that this realization has come too late. “They went along to get along for too long, in my estimation. And here we are. It’s going to get worse, guys.”
With years of firsthand experience, Ritz reflected on the growing instability in Ottawa and its implications for Canada’s future.
Discussing private members’ bills like Bill C-280, Ritz criticized their potential to resurface despite prorogation. “At the end of it, you can pass a motion that reinstates all of those bills at the stage they were at before prorogation,” Ritz explained, emphasizing that such a move could quickly happen under the current Liberal-NDP collaboration.
He speculated that with the support of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would likely push to reinstate these bills to maintain their political alliance. “That puts all the pensions back in play, puts those types of bills back in play. That’ll probably be one of their first moves to keep the NDP online.”
Ritz expressed skepticism about Singh’s declarations to take the government down, bluntly stating, “I’ll believe that when I see it. I think he’s a bald-faced, poor politician liar.” He voiced frustration over the lack of genuine opposition and leadership, highlighting what he sees as a growing trend toward fiscal irresponsibility and progressive policies that harm Canada’s economic stability.
He expressed deep concern over the possibility of Mark Carney taking the reins. “If Carney gets in with his globalist positions, he makes Trudeau look like a piker. He will spend more money and draw us deeper into this whole progressive crap that Trudeau started us down the road to.”
For Ritz, the stakes couldn’t be higher, expressing deep concerns about the future of agriculture in Canada, and acknowledging the sector’s growing challenges.

“The carbon tax has ripped the heart out of agriculture and continues to,” Ritz said, emphasizing the burden this policy has placed on Canadian farmers. The tax, set to rise again on April 1, adds significant financial strain to struggling producers. Under potential leadership from Mark Carney, the carbon tax could accelerate, driving up costs for Canadian farmers even more. “Carney’s a big proponent of it going at a lot faster speed and a lot higher than what we have,” he noted.
According to Ritz, the ripple effect of these carbon tax hikes will have long-lasting consequences for Canadian agriculture. “What that does is create a trade barrier right off the hop,” he explained. “Our guys all have to build in all those layers of carbon tax before it leaves their farm. And once it leaves the farm, much more carbon tax is added as it transfers to the end of the sale.”
The impact of these added costs makes it increasingly difficult for Canadian farmers to compete on the global stage. “That puts our guys at a disadvantage when competing against other farmers worldwide that don’t have that anchor they’re dragging,” Ritz lamented.
Ritz’s message is clear: without meaningful leadership changes and policy shifts, Canada’s agricultural sector will continue to struggle under the weight of costly regulations and global competition. As the carbon tax threatens to undermine the competitiveness of Canadian farmers, the need for strategic, farmer-friendly policies has never been more urgent.•
— By Harry Siemens