Lobbying by Canadian Meat Council: its registrations, its lobbyists, the bills it has named and every meeting it has reported with federal office holders since November 2021.
Formerly Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada to Mexico, Global Affairs Canada (2011–2016)
Formerly Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada to Denver, Global Affairs Canada (2006–2011)
Formerly Special Advisor, Advocacy, N/A, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2004–2006)
Kyle Larkin · President & CEOFormer public office holder
Formerly Parliamentary Assistant, Member of Parliament, House of Commons (2015–2016)
Formerly Intern, Member of Parliament, House of Commons (2014–2015)
Nancy Stonos-Smith · Director of Technical Affairs
Institutions they may lobby: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Export Development Canada (EDC), Finance Canada (FIN), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Health Canada (HC), House of Commons, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Privy Council Office (PCO), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Senate of Canada, Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
What they're lobbying on (13)Hide details
Science-based food regulations: Working with the Government of Canada on a variety of regulations to promote safety, efficiency, and competitiveness.
Trade diversification: Working with the government to seek out and sign new free trade agreements with markets that have a potential for increased Canadian meat exports.
Canada-U.S. relations: Ensuring that the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) continues in its entirety.
Labour: Advocating for a permanent food processing immigration stream, stemming from the success of the Agri-Food Pilot.
International Barriers to Trade: Seeking to eliminate or prevent out-dated, overly burdensome, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate technical requirements in other countries that can create unnecessary obstacles to trade, reduce competition and prevent Canadian exporters from participating in global supply under the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for strengthened regulatory cooperation initiatives in regional, plurilateral and multilateral trade agreements to further facilitate trade.
Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance: Encouraging the adoption of an increased and permanent accelerated capital cost allowance to match the tax benefits available to the American meat processing sector.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency and User Fee Act: Advocating for a review of the CFIA fee structure and establishment of service standards as required by the User Fee Act.
Interprovincial trade of meat: Advocating for all meat that is processed in Canada and that crosses provincial borders to be inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency under the Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations.
Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation: Seeking greater regulatory alignment between American and Canadian food inspection systems to ensure that Canada remains regulatory competitive.
Canada-EU: Promoting commercially viable access to Europe for Canadian beef and pork under the provisions of the Canada Europe Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Canada-China: Advocating for tariff-free access to the Chinese market for Canadian beef and pork exports.
Domestic processing: Advocating for a targeted federal support program to assist small and medium-sized beef processors who are experiencing severe financial stress due to limited cattle supply and rising input costs. The program would aim to stabilize operations, preserve regional processing capacity, and sustain employment through short-term financial relief and resilience measures developed in collaboration with the Government of Canada
Terrestrial animal diseases: Ensuring the Government of Canada is adequately prepared to respond to foreign animal diseases, including funding support for processors and zoning agreements with key trading partners.
Tom Rosser · Assistant Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Domestic processing: Advocating for a targeted federal support program to assist small and medium-sized beef processors who are experiencing severe financial stress due to limited cattle supply and rising input costs. The program would aim to stabilize operations, preserve regional processing capacity, and sustain employment through short-term financial relief and resilience measures developed in collaboration with the Government of CanadaRead more
Tom Rosser · Assistant Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Jeremy Keats · Senior Policy Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Guy Gallant · Chief of Staff, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Domestic processing: Advocating for a targeted federal support program to assist small and medium-sized beef processors who are experiencing severe financial stress due to limited cattle supply and rising input costs. The program would aim to stabilize operations, preserve regional processing capacity, and sustain employment through short-term financial relief and resilience measures developed in collaboration with the Government of CanadaRead more
Harpreet Kocchar · President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canada US Regulatory Cooperation: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for greater regulatory alignment between Canada and the U.S. to achieve enhanced equivalency of inspection systems.Read more
Interprovincial Meat Trade Pilot Project:the Canadian Meat Council is advocating that all meat processed in Canada should be inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency under the new Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations.
Heath MacDonald · Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Lawrence Hanson · Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Guy Gallant · Chief of Staff, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Jeremy Keats · Senior Policy Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Labour: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for a permanent food processing immigration stream, stemming from the success of the Agri-Food Pilot.Read more
Canada US Regulatory Cooperation: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for greater regulatory alignment between Canada and the U.S. to achieve enhanced equivalency of inspection systems.
John Hannaford · Personal Representative of the Prime Minister to the European Union, Privy Council Office (PCO)
Canada-EU: the Canadian Meat Council is advocating for commercially viable access to Europe for Canadian beef and pork under the provisions of the Canada Europe Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement -CETA.Read more
Mary Jane Ireland · Chief Veterinary Officer, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canada US Regulatory Cooperation: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for greater regulatory alignment between Canada and the U.S. to achieve enhanced equivalency of inspection systems.Read more
Jeremy Keats · Senior Policy Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Domestic processing: Advocating for a targeted federal support program to assist small and medium-sized beef processors who are experiencing severe financial stress due to limited cattle supply and rising input costs. The program would aim to stabilize operations, preserve regional processing capacity, and sustain employment through short-term financial relief and resilience measures developed in collaboration with the Government of CanadaRead more
Paul Moen · Chief of Staff, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Guy Gallant · Chief of Staff, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Domestic processing: Advocating for a targeted federal support program to assist small and medium-sized beef processors who are experiencing severe financial stress due to limited cattle supply and rising input costs. The program would aim to stabilize operations, preserve regional processing capacity, and sustain employment through short-term financial relief and resilience measures developed in collaboration with the Government of CanadaRead more
Paul MacKinnon · President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canada US Regulatory Cooperation: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for greater regulatory alignment between Canada and the U.S. to achieve enhanced equivalency of inspection systems.Read more
International Barriers to Trade: The Canadian Meat Council seeks to eliminate or prevent out-dated, overly burdensome, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate technical requirements in other countries that can create unnecessary obstacles to trade, reduce competition and prevent Canadian exporters from participating in global supply under the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for strengthened regulatory cooperation initiatives in regional, plurilateral and multilateral trade agreements to further facilitate trade.
Heath MacDonald · Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
International Barriers to Trade: The Canadian Meat Council seeks to eliminate or prevent out-dated, overly burdensome, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate technical requirements in other countries that can create unnecessary obstacles to trade, reduce competition and prevent Canadian exporters from participating in global supply under the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for strengthened regulatory cooperation initiatives in regional, plurilateral and multilateral trade agreements to further facilitate trade.Read more
Jeremy Keats · Policy Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
International Barriers to Trade: The Canadian Meat Council seeks to eliminate or prevent out-dated, overly burdensome, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate technical requirements in other countries that can create unnecessary obstacles to trade, reduce competition and prevent Canadian exporters from participating in global supply under the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for strengthened regulatory cooperation initiatives in regional, plurilateral and multilateral trade agreements to further facilitate trade.Read more
Terrestrial animal diseases: Ensuring the Government of Canada is adequately prepared to respond to foreign animal diseases, including funding support for processors and zoning agreements with key trading partners.
Tom Rosser · Assistant Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Lawrence Hanson · Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
International Barriers to Trade: The Canadian Meat Council seeks to eliminate or prevent out-dated, overly burdensome, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate technical requirements in other countries that can create unnecessary obstacles to trade, reduce competition and prevent Canadian exporters from participating in global supply under the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for strengthened regulatory cooperation initiatives in regional, plurilateral and multilateral trade agreements to further facilitate trade.Read more
Terrestrial animal diseases: Ensuring the Government of Canada is adequately prepared to respond to foreign animal diseases, including funding support for processors and zoning agreements with key trading partners.
Terrestrial animal diseases: Ensuring the Government of Canada is adequately prepared to respond to foreign animal diseases, including funding support for processors and zoning agreements with key trading partners.Read more
Terrestrial animal diseases: Ensuring the Government of Canada is adequately prepared to respond to foreign animal diseases, including funding support for processors and zoning agreements with key trading partners.Read more
Paul MacKinnon · President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Robert Ianiro · Vice President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Increased Budget for CFIA: The Government of Canada should contribute an additional $10 million to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for food safety compliance promotion of the new Safe Food for Canadians Regulations over the period 2015-20. The Agency needs adequate resources to ensure that compliance with the new requirements is achieved quickly to ensure that Canada’s food safety system remains one of the very best in the world.Read more
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Ensure that Canada continues to follow a science-based and risk-based regulatory approval system for food, especially for new and emerging technologies.Read more
Jeremy Keats · Policy Advisor, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Jack Lewis · Policy Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Matthew Pollesel · Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Health Canada (HC)
Guillaume Bertrand · Director of Communications, Health Canada (HC)
and 5 moreShow fewer
Josh Jagger · Senior Atlantic Advisor, Health Canada (HC)
Sara Kasum · Parliamentary Affairs Advisor, Health Canada (HC)
Roy Karam · Senior Policy Advisor, Health Canada (HC)
Richard Davies · Regional Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Yasmin Veiga · Regional Advisor, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Ensure that Canada continues to follow a science-based and risk-based regulatory approval system for food, especially for new and emerging technologies.Read more
Robert Ianaro · Vice President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency and User Fee Act: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for a review of the CFIA fee structure and establishment of service standards as required by the User Fee Act.Read more
Product of Canada Guidelines: the Canadian Meat Council supports a review of the Product of Canada Guidelines with regard to labelling of meat products.
Sebastian Clarke · Director, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Juan David Gonzalez · Senior Policy Advisor, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Refugees: We are advocating for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to initiate efforts to direct refugee settlement to locations where individuals may be qualified, with training, to fill meat industry job vacancies. The Canadian meat industry also welcomes any other initiatives that will facilitate inter-provincial labour mobility of unemployed, under-employed and disadvantaged Canadians willing to work in our industry.Read more
Access to Labour:The Government of Canada should create a 10-year $50 million tax credit for the adoption of automation and industrial robotics in the Canadian meat industry to help Canada’s meat packing and processing industry become more productive during this time of chronic labour shortages.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program: the Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the continued access for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for Canada's meat industry. Nevertheless, and notwithstanding extensive efforts to recruit domestically, it is the reality of our industry that the number of workers required exceeds, by far, the number of both “lower-skilled” and “higher-skilled” Canadian candidates who are both willing and able to work in Canada's meat processing industry. There is now an application fee of $1000 per Temporary Foreign Worker- if a form has 1 employee or 100 employees the charge is $1000 per worker applied for. If the request is rejected the fee is not refunded. These fees seem much higher than a reasonable cost to process- especially when the request for multiple employees is rejected.
Robert Ianiro · Vice President Policy & Programs, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Debbie Beresford-Green · Vice President of Operations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Canada US Regulatory Cooperation: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for greater regulatory alignment between Canada and the U.S. to achieve enhanced equivalency of inspection systems.Read more
Safe Food for Canadians Act: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the development of outcome based food safety regulations under the Safe Food for Canadians Act.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the development and implementation of a risk-based and evidence-based food inspection safety system.
Lara Boulanger · Senior Director, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Safe Food for Canadians Act: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the development of outcome based food safety regulations under the Safe Food for Canadians Act.
The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the development and implementation of a risk-based and evidence-based food inspection safety system.Read more
Canada US Regulatory Cooperation: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating for greater regulatory alignment between Canada and the U.S. to achieve enhanced equivalency of inspection systems.
Food and Drug Regulations: the Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the approval of new regulations to extend the use of food irradiation in Canada to include ground beef, poultry, and beef carcasses.
Alan Cliffe · Policy Advisor, Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
Temporary Foreign Worker Program: the Canadian Meat Council is advocating for the continued access for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for Canada's meat industry. Nevertheless, and notwithstanding extensive efforts to recruit domestically, it is the reality of our industry that the number of workers required exceeds, by far, the number of both “lower-skilled” and “higher-skilled” Canadian candidates who are both willing and able to work in Canada's meat processing industry. There is now an application fee of $1000 per Temporary Foreign Worker- if a form has 1 employee or 100 employees the charge is $1000 per worker applied for. If the request is rejected the fee is not refunded. These fees seem much higher than a reasonable cost to process- especially when the request for multiple employees is rejected.Read more
Refugees: We are advocating for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to initiate efforts to direct refugee settlement to locations where individuals may be qualified, with training, to fill meat industry job vacancies. The Canadian meat industry also welcomes any other initiatives that will facilitate inter-provincial labour mobility of unemployed, under-employed and disadvantaged Canadians willing to work in our industry.
Express Entry: The Canadian Meat Council is advocating that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada accommodate all “high demand occupations” including industrial butchers in the Express Entry Program that came into effect on January 1, 2015 without quota limitations. We are advocating for an adjustment to the National Occupation Classification for industrial butchers to Group B.
From the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying's open data, published November 5, 2026.
Reports cover oral, arranged meetings with designated public office holders since November 22, 2021; lobbyists file them by the 15th of the following month.
Names of MPs are matched to the current House of Commons, and bills are linked when the lobbyist's own description makes clear which bill it means.
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