The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) 2018 Annual General Meeting was held November 19 and 20 at the Hamilton Convention Centre. The theme was Prosperity Grows Here. It focused on continuing the conversation of rural economic growth and served as an extension of the Producing Prosperity in Ontario concept that was unveiled at OFA’s 2017 AGM.
The 220 delegates from every county and region in Ontario discussed and voted on 17 policy resolutions. Guest speakers included Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Premier Doug Ford via recorded video and Andrea Horwath, leader of the NDP party. Ms. Horwath spoke from prepared notes.
Keith Currie was acclaimed by the delegates to serve in the position of OFA president for a third one-year term. Currie, OFA’s 31st president, is a Collingwood-area hay and sweet corn farmer.
Peggy Brekveld and Mark Reusser were re-elected as OFA’s two vice presidents. Brekveld, a northern Ontario dairy farmer, had the highest number of votes, returns for her fifth one-year term, while Reusser, a Waterloo County turkey farmer, will be serving in the position for a third term. Drew Spoelstra was re-elected by the board as the fourth executive member.
Delegates elected Hugh Simpson (bee keeper from Grey County) as Director-at-Large for a three-year term on the OFA Board of Directors. He defeated Lanark’s Andea McCoy-Naperstkow.
Keynote speaker Doug Griffiths delivered a stimulating and entertaining speech on 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, focusing on the importance of building communities from within. He was allotted an hour and 15 minutes and went 10 minutes overtime talking non-stop without looking at notes or sipping water. He didn’t stand at a podium but walked in front of the stage by the audience. He could have gone longer except Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s Agriculture Minister, was sitting in the wings and was the next speaker. When Hardeman came to the podium he said he was in awe how the previous speaker performed. Griffiths is a former school teacher and a former Canadian politician in Alberta. He is the president and CEO of 13 Ways, Inc. a company he founded to provide consultation to struggling North American communities
The 13 Ways to Kill Your Community could also pertain to churches that won’t make changes. His first point: Forget the water — quality and quantity.
How many churches do you know who still do not have running water in their church? I’ve been in a few. It’s been that way since the church was built and there’s no way they’re going to heat the church all winter just to keep it frost free for the water. And what about the churches with a small aging membership that won’t amalgamate with neighbouring churches of the same faith? Parishioners won’t go to another church farther away because they’ve gone to “their” church all their life.
The 3rd way in 13 Ways to Kill Your Community: Don’t Engage Youth. The 8th one: Live in the Past. The 10th one: Reject Everything New. They’re all about building walls.
Former OFA presidents that I saw at the convention are well known and it was nice to chat with: Harry Pelissero (1984-86), Jack Wilkinson (1999 – 2002), Ron Bonnett (2002-2006), Geri Kamenz (2006-2008), Mark Wales (2011- 2014) and Don McCabe (2014- 2016).
