Lobbying registration dated 2026-01-12
Registrant: Blair Cummins
Client: Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities
Targeted institutions:
Farm Credit Canada (FCC)
Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Transport Canada (TC)
Justice Canada (JC)
Finance Canada (FIN)
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)
House of Commons
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Statistics Canada (StatCan)
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
Elections Canada
Rural Economic Development (Minister’s Office)
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Competition Bureau Canada (COBU)
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (Port Metro Vancouver)
Canadian Energy Regulator (CER)
Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
Senate of Canada
Health Canada (HC)
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
Public Safety Canada (PS)
Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Canadian Grain Commission (CGC)
Legislative bills: C-317
S-230
C-282
C-293
C-2
S-243
Acts: Canadian Navigable Waters Act
Criminal Code
Species at Risk Act
Fisheries Act
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act
Government funding received:
Lobbying activity details:
Fisheries Act; ensure it effectively balances the need for habitat protection with the need for municipal infrastructure development.
Energy Infrastructure- pipelines are needed across this entire
country to help alleviate transport of energy products off of road infrastructure and railways.
Vaccines: SARM would like more federal investments into VIDO
here in Saskatchewan for vaccine development, research and storage.
Bill S-243: An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act and to make related amendments to other Acts – climate-aligned financial reporting will be a cost burden for agricultural producers, local municipal governments and small businesses in rural Saskatchewan.
Ag Labour - Provide agricultural operations with the eligibility to apply for the Class 1A licensing for their employees through a grant funding program. . In addition, provide grants for agricultural operations to use on employees to enhance agricultural skills training necessary for the job.
Species at Risk Act (SARA) - providing input on consultations to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and amendments to SARA.
Telecommunications: Radio license fees and renewals for public safety responders- discuss the importance for radio license fees and renewals to be at reasonable rates for volunteer emergency responders.
Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA); with respect to increasing the compensation for use of municipally owned equipment.
The Rural Municipal (RM) Tax Loss Compensation Fund and The Rural Municipal Specific Claims Tax Loss Compensation Fund, which are tied to Saskatchewan Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement, continue to decrease in funds and is unsustainable without municipalities absorbing significant reduction in monies from the Funds. The Agreement needs to be reviewed.
Bill S-230: An Act respecting the development of a natural strategy for soil health protection, conservation and enhancement. The importance of working with municipal governments when determining a national strategy.
Control of Richardson Ground Squirrels with regard to research and control methods, including the use of Strychnine
Provide comments on the need for improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program.
Projects near water review process (DFO). Timely approval
of these reviews is a concern as this impacts project construction timelines that are time sensitive.
Bill C-282: An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management) – SARM advocates for a balanced approach that supports supply-managed sectors while protecting the interests of all agricultural producers and rural communities.
Bridge and Road Funding – Supply chain impacts Canada's economy which shows the importance of maintaining strong transportation infrastructure. Rural Saskatchewan needs more funding for maintaining bridges and roads in order to carry agriculture, mining and forestry products to market.
Trade Agreements: Canada European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, (CETA) and Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), our request is to better international trade for agriculture producers.
Broadband - SARM's key focus is to assist with addressing long-standing issues affecting broadband connectivity; and, advise and direct actions leading to a shared strategy, investment, and vision.
AgriStability - ensuring that it serves the needs of agricultural producers and offering suggestion for improvements to this program.
Firearms: Participating in consultations on reducing rural crime and policy consultations to acts, regulations and programs relative to the possession, acquisition of firearms and disposal of firearms.
Mental Health – the need for the building of more treatment centers for mental health issues and treatment for addictions. The importance of funding for mental health support for youth and accessibility for help options for youth.
Agriculture: Business Risk Management Program suite under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. In particular requesting changes that will enhance support for producers when and where they need it most.
Animal Health as it relates to the Bovine TB testing process and compensation to the livestock owner. Enhancements in the process are needed especially around communication and transparency to all stakeholders.
Chronic wasting disease; policies to prevent chronic wasting disease.
Ag Labour – Incentivize employment and employee retention programs in rural areas of the country to aid in stabilizing much needed labourers.
Water Infrastructure – the need for funding to develop and enhance water storage, conservation and distribution infrastructure for potable and non-potable water.
Enhancements to the Criminal Code in which decisions are made regarding bail: review penalties for repeat offenders
RCMP costs - rising policing costs, rural crime and the number of calls contributes to increased financial burdens for rural municipalities and RCMP staffing needs.
Pesticide regulations: strongly support maintaining a science based and evidence based approach to pesticide management. The regulation of pesticides needs to consider the importance of food security.
Infrastructure Funding: Ensure that eligibility criteria and thresholds enable rural municipalities to access infrastructure funding, while also maintaining consistent funding programs that account for inflation and meet ongoing rural needs.
Irrigation infrastructure for agriculture in Saskatchewan. Need a joint infrastructure agreement with Saskatchewan.
Bill C-293: An Act respecting pandemic prevention and preparedness – ensure this Bill addresses undermining of the agricultural sector’s viability and supply chain disruptions.
Landownership - concerns over regulating out-of-province landownership in regards to land use and management in ways that interest the local community. Stricter regulations on land purchases.
Food Security – the importance of enhancing agricultural infrastructure, mitigating food inflation and rising fuel costs, ensuring fertilizer availability and recognition for sustainable farming practices.
Emissions regulations – industries are heavily dependent on fossil fuels to produce energy, food, fertilizer, products and commodities needed around the world. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gases should not disadvantage one region of Canada more than another
Infrastructure: The importance of dedicated funding for rural municipal infrastructure projects to Canada's economy.
Water treatment systems; alternative water treatment technologies continue to be explored to allow options for rural municipalities.
Emergency Management - concerns that rural municipalities have with respect to obtaining operational and capital funding for training, equipment and infrastructure for rural Saskatchewan emergency responders.
Ag Labour- Focus on timeliness and efficiency of immigration applications and reduce barriers so employers can access readily available employees. Federal government to constantly evaluate its processes and the requirements for newcomers to get proper permits to enter the Canadian workforce.
Broadband and cellular coverage - Requesting government investment to
enhance services in rural Saskatchewan.
National Highway Funding - the need for a dedicated and permanent funding model.
Energy- Reliable source options and the importance of affordable access for rural Saskatchewan and the need for providing incentives for agricultural operations to adopt emission-reducing practices.
Trade and tariffs: With regards to the impact that tariffs are having on Saskatchewan agricultural producers and the importance of trade markets for the agriculture industry and rural Saskatchewan with emphasis on canola, wheat, durum, lentils, peas, beef and potash.
Rail Safety; Transporting dangerous goods by rail. Grade crossing improvements.
Municipal access to Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant for class 1A driver training.
Carbon Offset Credits - SARM advocates for recognition of Saskatchewan agricultural practices that are ,and have been for years, reducing carbon emissions.
Mutual aid agreements; formalizing mutual aid agreements is important because RMs need assurance that they will be reimbursed for providing emergency services to neighbouring municipalities and First Nations.
Drought - Business risk	 management programs will have to be enhanced to address the increased drought conditions and occurrences.
Rural Healthcare- funding for increase recruitment and retention of healthcare workers in remote rural areas of Saskatchewan
Broadband – continue the investments in rural broadband and meet the CRTC’s targets of download speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of at least 10 Mbps
Emission reductions - Focus on the agricultural practices in Saskatchewan that are contributing to carbon emission reductions while improving the competitiveness and profit of producers.
Rural Crime: ensuring rural Saskatchewan is represented in discussions on public safety.
Canada Community Building Fund; eligibility requirements and thresholds. Requests for long term funding commitments, better definition of "rural" in criteria and reduce administrative requirements for RMs.
Transportation policy and regulation with regard to grain, grain products and products for agriculture generally.
Railway/supply chain concerns especially around being able to move the crop from harvest to ports. Declare railways as an essential service.
Volunteer Emergency Responders funding - Volunteer emergency responders have very little source revenue. The establishment of a fund or grant will help provide the financial resources they need to continue providing essential services and to update equipment to appropriate safety standards.
Rural Economic Development - SARM seeks to find ways to
expand the rural workforce, explore ideas that foster rural innovation, advocate for economic investments into rural Saskatchewan and provide rural municipalities with the much needed tools to explore and attract economic growth and development.
Bill C-2: An Act respecting certain measures relating to the security of the border between Canada and the United States and respecting other related security measures. Concerns over wait times, drug trafficking, immigration, and funding.
RCMP: more presence in rural Saskatchewan. Preventing rural crime.
Bill C-317: An Act to establish a national strategy respecting flood and drought forecasting – advocate for drought resilience as a vital component of the national strategy for flood and drought forecasting and collaboration with local stakeholders.
Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption: increase needed for agricultural producers.
Critical Minerals - The importance to rural economic development, future energy needs, the economy and agricultural producers in Saskatchewan as well the importance to the Canadian economy and to global food security.
The Canadian Navigable Waters Act and its associated regulations: through consultations, ensure that this policy reflects use of navigable waters and meets the needs of rural municipalities and is less administratively cumbersome.