Attention now shifts to the federal budget due expected in a few weeks.Ottawa—Other than a pat on the back, the agrifood sector received little attention in the Speech from the Throne Sept. 23 that started the new Parliamentary session.The address said the government would “recognize farmers, foresters, and ranchers as key partners in the fight against climate change, supporting their efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience.”While welcoming that statement, Jeff Nielsen, Chairman of Grain Growers of Canada, “Unfortunately, this sentiment has not been reflected in the recent conversations that we have had with the government. From consultations on carbon offset protocols to the criteria for the proposed Clean Fuel Standard, we have not felt that our perspective has been acknowledged.“We hope that today's message sets a new tone going forward as we are more than willing to step up and play a role in addressing climate change,” he said. “Going forward, GGC will work closely with federal and provincial agriculture ministers to ensure that Canada's agriculture industry remains top of mind.”GGC's six priority areas are creating effective Business Risk Management programs; supporting science and innovation in agriculture, assisting crop health, helping improve trade access, providing carbon tax exemptions, and improving cellular service and connectivity in rural areas.“As Canada begins its economic recovery period, the agriculture sector faces its own challenges including the need for regulatory modernization, market access issues and a lack of reliable business risk management programs.”Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will deliver her first budget in the coming weeks, which should spell out the government plans for economic growth.The budget will likely focus on the government's plan to support people and businesses through the COVID-19 crisis “as long as it lasts, whatever it takes. Effectively dealing with the health crisis is the best thing we can do for the economy. Government action has already helped Canadians stay safe, and buffered the worst economic impacts,” the Speech said.Open Media, which advocates for better Internet service in Canada, said the government hasn't offered concrete support for millions of Canadians who don't have fast and affordable broadband access.Campaigns Director Matt Hatfield said “It's now been 18 months since the Universal Broadband Fund was announced. Three months ago, Minister of Rural Economic Development Maryam Monsef said the Universal Broadband Fund would be opened for applications in the coming days. Well, 107 of those days have now gone by.“How many times will they re-announce the same project, and when will they actually implement it? There's no sign our government is acting on the urgency of Canada's growing Digital Divide, or are conscious that our extremely high Internet access costs - amongst the highest in the world - are a very heavy burden at a time of extreme financial duress for Canadians.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.