Another Successful Day at Queen’s Park

After an interesting day of talking to MPPs about organic priorities at Queen’s Park, things are looking positive for the future of organic in Ontario!

We started the day with a delicious organic breakfast in the reception rooms in the main legislative building. We were so lucky to be provided with amazing food from generous OCO members across the province! MPPs and ministers alike were very impressed with the quality of the menu.

After breakfast, we heard from our Executive Director, Carolyn Young and President, Rob Wallbridge;  Mike Schreiner (MPP Guelph – Green), a strong supporter of OCO; Peter Tabuns (MPP Toronto-Danforth – NDP) and Sylvia Jones, Minister of Tourism, Culture & Sport (MPP Dufferin-Caledon – PC), who co-sponsored our private members bill in 2017; and finally Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs (MPP Oxford – PC), who gave us a very warm welcome!

After breakfast, we made our way to Hart House for presentations on the current state of the organic sector across Canada.

• Our executive director Carolyn Young shared updates on what OCO has been working on,
• The Canadian Organic Growers’ Carly Livingstone gave an overview of the results of their Transitioning to Organic study;
• The Canadian Organic Trade Association’s Tia Loftsgard gave an overview of the challenges posed by the new Safe Food For Canadians regulations;
• Organic Alberta’s Becky Lipton shared the story of how they managed to get organic regulation passed in Alberta this year;
• and Emma Holmes from BC’s Ministry of Agriculture gave some information on the recent implementation of organic regulation in that province.

After prepping our messages for MPPs, we were ready to meet them face-to-face! We were so pleased to have time to discuss the potential for organic regulation in Ontario with:

• Mike Harris, Kitchener-Conestoga (PC)
• Rick Nicholls, Chatham-Kent-Leamington (PC)
• Monique Taylor, Hamilton Mountain (NDP)
• Mike Schreiner, Guelph (Green)
• Taras Natyshak, Essex (NDP)
• Jane McKenna, Burlington (PC)
• Rudy Cuzzetta, Mississauga-Lakeshore (PC)
• Jim McDonnell, Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry (PC)
• Peter Tabuns, Toronto-Danforth (NDP)
• Kathleen Wynne, Don Valley West (Liberal)
• Bill Walker, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound (PC)
• John Vanthof, Timiskaming-Cochrane (NDP)
• Jennifer French, Oshawa (NDP)
• Randy Pettapiece, Perth-Wellington (PC)
• Peggy Sattler, London West (NDP)
• Ernie Hardeman, Oxford (PC)

After speaking with so many MPPs from across Ontario, we feel confident that the issues of a lack of organic regulation can be solved! Stay tuned for more updates in the weeks and months to come.