This spring, I had the pleasure of working with Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford!
Working with MPP Hardeman, I gained a wealth of knowledge on rural interests, agriculture, and life in his proud home community of Oxford. When choosing my placements, I knew I wanted to gain a better understanding of a rural community, with an agricultural focus, and what better riding than the dairy capital of Canada!
From his nearly 30 years of experience as an MPP, including two terms as Minister of Agriculture, MPP Hardeman was the perfect member to provide insight into these perspectives. He has a vast breadth of knowledge on many of Ontario’s policies from the past few decades, especially those with an agricultural or rural focus, having served in both government and opposition. He was always generous in sharing his thoughts on the opportunities and challenges that go along with living in such a fertile, and community minded place. I especially loved learning about the collaborative success of the dairy industry in Oxford, as well as the political challenge of preserving some of Canada’s finest farmland amidst growing housing needs.
MPP Hardeman also holds much reverence and respect in his community for his tenure of service. When I visited the riding, he could name who owned just about every farm we passed, and was constantly getting approached by folks who just wanted to say hello. It was inspiring to see just how connected a long-term politician could be to their riding, and invested in defending their best interests.
In this placement, I was grateful to attend events with MPP Hardeman, like Bring your MPP to School Day and the Dutch Flag Raising at the Legislature, write speeches and members statements, correspond with constituents, and research various bills and issues relevant to Oxford. Thank you MPP Hardeman, for your generous support of OLIP over the years, and to Jacob, Shelley, Kelly, and Jennifer, for the warm welcome and ongoing support!
