Grainswest - Spring 2026

Spring 2026 grainswest.com 19 BY IAN DOIG • ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY CHU CAPI head calls for better understanding of diverse farm reality Policy promoter A formative experience, Tyler McCann spent almost a decade in the federal govern- ment, primarily as an advisor to then Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Gerry Ritz. McCann and his wife Gillian MacDougall grew up on cattle and dairy farms respectively, and upon McCann’s exit from government in 2017, they estab- lished a herd of 60 purebred Simmental cattle on 200 acres in western Quebec. Since 2020, McCann has served as managing director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy In- stitute (CAPI), a national thinktank. While he tends to downplay his own operation as a hobby farm, he admits it is a lot of work. In the white-collar world, it keeps him grounded. GrainsWest: How has your farming background contributed to your policy work? Tyler McCann: It has helped me understand the challenging reality farmers face across the country. There’s no such thing as the average farmer; there’s no one right way to farm in this country. We have, give or take, 175,000 farms in Canada, and they’re all different. They’re very diverse businesses. What does this mean from a policy perspective? In a set of policies, you must reflect that farms are all very different and it is hard, risky and challenging work. It’s not easy, and tough choices must be made. One challenge we run into is govern- ments aren’t prepared to make tough choices and understand the realities people face. GW: What led you into ag policy work? TM: I have a diploma in farm management and technology from Macdonald College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC. I did a semester of agri-economics and quit that degree because I wanted to do political science. I quit the political science degree because I was offered a job working for the agriculture minister. GW: What has shaped your approach to ag policy work? TM: My wife and I met through 4-H, and now we’ve got four kids, ages six through 13, in 4-H. I sit on the 4-H Canada board, and my wife is the sole employee of Quebec 4-H. I live by the 4-H model of learn to do by doing. I’ve had the chance to learn agriculture, policy and politics by doing. I’ve done consulting work for a variety of different businesses. I also worked as interim executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada and the Canadian Seed Trade Association, which became Seeds Canada. I gained a real appreciation for member management and delivering on the priorities of ag association members—trying to keep what can be a very diverse membership base happy and satisfied. Those two association jobs gave me the chance to work with grain farmers from across the country, learn a lot about the seed sector and work with businesses. GW: Describe your time with the federal government. TM: I also worked for the transport minister and the natural resources minister, but I joined minister Ritz’s team shortly