Canadian Meat Council


The Canadian Meat Council is Canada's national trade association for the federally inspected meat packers and processors. It is an industry trade group associated with the meat packing industry. Federally inspected plants account for over 90% of all the meat processed in Canada.
As a key component of Canada's agriculture sector, the meat industry is the largest contributor to Canada's food processing industry, employing almost 70,000 Canadians and representing 12% of Canada's agri-food exports. It is also one of Canada's leading manufacturing sectors with annual sales of over $24 billion.

History

A group of Ontario meat packers met in Toronto in August, 1919 to decide if an association is needed to represent the industry which underwent tremendous growth during and after World War I. With overwhelming support for the idea, Samuel E. "Sam" Todd was appointed to head the Council on September 1, 1919. J. S. McLean was elected as the first president of the Council. E. B. Roberts, a journalist by profession was hired by beginning of 1920 to take care of the Councils media and publicity relations.
The first office of the organization was located at 186 King St. W., Toronto. Membership included Harris Abattoir Ltd., William Davies Co. Ltd., Swift Canadian Co. Ltd., Gunns Ltd., Canadian Packing Co Ltd., Puddys Ltd., F. W. Fearman Co., Ingersoll Packaging Co. Ltd., Whyte Packing Co. Ltd., Gallagher-Holman and Lafrance Co. Ltd.,
Gordon-Ironside & Fares Packers Ltd., Wilson Canadian Co. Ltd., and Armour and Company.

Meat Packers Council of Canada

The Industrial and Development Council of Canadian Meat Packers was considered a lengthy name by many members and an alternate name "Meat Packers Council of Canada" was proposed. It was not until Sam Todd retired in 1952 that the name was officially changed to Meat Packers Council of Canada.
The council was "incorporated" as an association in 1961 after serving as a voluntary, unincorporated association for nearly 40 years.

Canadian Meat Council

In 1980, the association changed its name to the Canadian Meat Council during the second Presidence of ALLAN K. BESWICK.

COVID-19 and Centennial year

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which happened during the centennial year of the Council, more than 50 "regular members" had paid their dues, including a lamb trade group from New Zealand as well as Cargill, JBS Foods International and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Alberta.
The Executive Members of the Council at the time were:
Annual Meetings are held every year since 1919. The meetings are one of the largest gathering of the Canadian Meat Industry's decision makers. Symposium and workshops on technical areas are held on need basis.

Presidents - Past and Present

JACK S. WHYTE
President, Whyte Packing Co. of Stratford ON.Jack is a very important person because he was our President 50 years ago, in February 1958. Jack has the distinction of being the only living past president to have chaired meetings of the Meat Packers Council of Canada in its boardroom at 200 Bay St., at the corner of Bay and Wellington, in Toronto.
GRAEME R. BIEMAN
President, Coleman Packing Company, London ON. Graeme became Council president in 1965. Graeme is the only past president here who chaired meetings at the Council Board Room in the Six Points Plaza. In 1971, the Council office was completely destroyed in a fire. Gone were many irreplaceable pieces of Council history.
KENNETH R. MURRAY
President J. M. Schneider Inc., Kitchener ON. Ken assumed the Council presidency from Art Mill at the Council Annual Meeting in Winnipeg in 1973. In 1984, at the Council meeting in Quebec City he received the president's gavel from Jean Bienvenue.
ED J. ROBERTS
VP Packinghouse Div. Canada Packers Limited, Toronto. Ed Roberts was named President at the Quebec City Annual Meeting in 1975, following Joe Rapoport's term.
ALLAN K. BESWICK
VP Meat Division, Swift Canadian Company, Etobicoke. At the 1976 Convention in Edmonton, Al received the gravel from Ed Roberts. He stepped into the fray again in 1980, following Nigel Goodall. The Council got a new name – the former Meat Packers Council of Canada became the CMC/CVC.
HENRY G. BEBEN
President J. M. Schneider Inc., Kitchener. When John Nielsen resigned late in 1977, Henry assumed the presidency and continued through 1978. I
NIGEL L. GOODALL
VP, Marketing, Hygrade Foods Inc., Montreal PQ. Nigel received the gavel of office from Henry Beben at the 1979 An. Mtg. in Calgary. The Council hosted 60th Anniversary Receptions in: Edmonton,Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal with an average attendance of 70 consumer, press, government and industry representatives at each event.
ROBERT C. NADEAU
President and CEO of Taillefer Meats, a division of Imasco Limited, succeeded Barry Hall as President of the Council at the 1982 meeting held in Winnipeg, Manitoba. and presided over the Toronto meeting in 1983.
JEAN BIENVENUE
Managing Director, Salaisons Olympia, St. Simon, PQ. Jean Bienvenue took over the presidency from Bob Nadeau at the Toronto meeting in 1983 and presided over the 1984 Convention in
Quebec City.
LLOYD W. MACLEOD
VP & GM, Fresh Meat Div. Canada Packers Inc. Toronto. At the Council Convention in Toronto in 1986, Lloyd succeeded Fred Mitchell as President.
RUSSELL W. R. BAKER
VP of Operations, Intercontinental Packers, Saskatoon, SK. Russ became President at the Quebec City Convention in 1988,taking over from Yvon Mercier.
FRANK POWELL
General Manager, Quality Meat Packers, Toronto ON. Frank received the gavel of office from Russ Baker at the annual meeting in Vancouver in 1989.
MAX R. DINGLE
President, Shopsy Foods Inc., Toronto. Max moved up to the Council Presidency at the Quebec Convention in 1991, succeeding Yvon Mercier.
WAYNE URBONAS
Burns Meats. Wayne received the gavel from Yves Lalonde at the 1995 Convention in Vancouver and presided at the 1996 Convention in Toronto.
DON DAVIDSON – Maple Leaf Foods President in 1996. Next, in 1999, LAURENT BROCHU of Olymel. DAVID SCHWARTZ of Quality Meat Packers was Council President in 2002. He was followed in 2003 by BRIAN READ of Levinoff Meat Products Ltd. WILLIE VAN SOLKEMA, then of Cargill Foods, took over for part of 2004 and for the balance of 2004, BRAIN READ returned to the presidency. The Council president for 2005 was ARIE NUYS of Delft Blue Inc. Then for 2006, there is our immediate past president, CONRAD HUBER of Piller Sausages & Deli Ltd.
BRIAN NILSSON, XL Foods, was president in 2007 followed by DON DAVIDSON, Maple Leaf Foods, in 2008. STEVE MORIN, Vice-President-Pork, Olymel S.E.C., undertook this responsibility in 2009 and passed the gavel to BRIAN READ, Vice-President Non Fed Sales and Government Relations of XL Foods Inc. for 2010. SCOTT ENTZ, Vice-President and General Manager, Cargill High River, Cargill Meat Solutions performed the role in 2011 prior to passing the duties to RAY PRICE of Trochu Meat Processors Ltd./Sunterra Farms for 2012.