Months of speculation ended recently when Premier Eves announced a provincial election for October 2. For the average Ontario citizen, this means an opportunity to assess political parties, leadership, and local candidates and listen to campaign advertising.
For Ontario farmers, it means a chance to evaluate the agricultural policies of the parties, the potential support for Ontario’s farming sector by individual candidates, and the knowledge of the province’s second largest economic generator.
Next to the automotive industry, the agriculture and food sector is the biggest contributor to Ontario’s economy. We, as farmers, have to assess the policy proposals, as they relate to farming, of not just the parties, but of the individual candidates.
If a candidate is weak on knowledge of farming, or has little or no interest in the future of the agri-food sector, that’s usually a strong indication of a long-term future without political support for agriculture.
Candidates with a keen knowledge of agriculture and a desire to carve out a better future for the agri-food industry in Ontario, need to be sought out by farmers and their organizations and nurtured. It is these individuals who will provide the political leadership necessary to ensure a healthy future for our industry.
Federations of agriculture right across Ontario have the tools to locate such candidates. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has put the tools into the hands of the local federation leaders and will continue to encourage their use.
Individual farmers can play a significant role in this process. OFA encourages every farmer to explore the policies each party and candidate has developed for agriculture. Help in doing this is available on the OFA website at www.ofa.on.ca , from local federation officials and from OFA Member Service Representatives across the province.
Getting the support of politicians is critical to the future success of our industry. Developing that support begins during an election campaign and continues throughout the candidate’s term in office.
OFA has prepared a document which provides highlights of each party’s platform – all the areas of importance to agriculture and life in rural Ontario. This document touches on everything from hydro rates and privatization of the energy industry to taxation, farm assistance programs, rural infrastructure, nutrient management regulations, and protection of air and water quality.
Another critical issue dealt with by the document is land use planning and what measures should be taken to protect and conserve the province’s non-renewable land resource.
OFA challenges every farmer to get involved in the 2003 provincial election campaign, find out what the parties and candidates have to offer, and what it will take to make agriculture’s issues important to the rest of the electorate. We know things like food safety, health care and education are universally important. Farmers and rural residents need to find out where candidates stand on these matters before casting their ballots on Oct. 2.
~Ron Bonnett~
President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture