P.E.I. names new deputy ag minister

Prince Edward Island’s Premier Dennis King has named a new top bureaucrat for the province’s agriculture ministry and others, to manage a fresh round of post-election ministerial mandate letters.

Gordon MacFadyen, most recently executive director of fiscal management and assistant secretary to Treasury Board with the provincial finance department, was announced Aug. 8 as deputy minister of agriculture, replacing Brian Matheson.

Matheson, who was shuffled Aug. 8 to deputy minister for transportation and infrastructure, had just been named deputy minister for agriculture in April, after holding the title on an acting basis since June 2019.

During his stint as executive director for fiscal management, MacFadyen was responsible for the provincial budget and quarterly forecasting. He also served five years as provincial comptroller and previously held senior financial roles with the education and health ministries. Before joining the province, MacFadyen was director of finance for the City of Summerside.

The deputy ministers’ shuffle is meant “to deliver on priorities as outlined in the ministerial mandate letters that are also being released today,” the province said Aug. 8.

For Bloyce Thompson, who was named as agriculture minister after last April’s provincial election, the Aug. 8 mandate letter from King includes priorities such as:

• continued advocacy for seed potato producers to to restore both domestic and export markets for seed potatoes;
• exploring controlled-environment farming and indoor farming, via greenhouses, tunnels, hydroponics and enhanced storage and refrigeration;
• continuing work on financial and support programs to increase beef cattle production in the province;
• starting the process of creating a provincial food waste reduction strategy;
• working with the housing, land and community ministry toward a land-use plan to maintain agricultural land for food production;
• modernizing the provincial Agricultural Insurance Corporation;
• a long-term plan for safe management of deadstock; and
• working with relevant ministries to help farmers address “workforce challenges in agriculture, specifically focused on housing.”

The changes to provincial departments’ senior management “provide an opportunity for a fresh perspective, renewed energy” and “an opportunity for growth and development for our senior leadership team as a whole,” King said in a release Aug. 8. — Glacier FarmMedia Network