Help kick off November’s National 4-H Month and wear green on November 2nd.  This annual ‘Show Your 4-H Colours’ event is designed to help celebrate the significant role that 4-H has played and continues to play in the development of youth across Canada. 

As one of Canada’s longest-running youth organizations, 4-H has played an important role in youth development for over 98 years, offering fun, excitement and learning for youth in large and small communities across Canada. Currently more than 8,600 trained volunteer leaders help over 26,000 4-H members develop self-confidence and learn a wide variety of skills through hands-on project work.  Over its 98 year history, 4-H counts hundreds of thousands of 4-H alumni who have gained valuable skills through this important and worthwhile program.  Many, in the workforce today across the country and beyond, credit their involvement in 4-H for helping them to succeed and prosper.

On this the ‘eve’ of National 4-H Month in Canada, take the time to show your support for 4-H in Canada.  Join the crowd and wear green on November 2, 2011!

Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer

In rural Ontario, especially on the fringe of the GTA, there are a series of long battles going on.  The OMB is hearing the arguments of aggregate proponents seeking new pit licences and the counter-arguments of local citizens' groups and provincial environmental organizations.  Water resources, farmland, wetlands and woodlands are at stake.  The costs of road building and construction are at stake.  A recent article draws attention to the possibility that the opposing sides might actually be able to find some compromise and help avoid more of the costly and frustrating processes of pitting lawyers and experts against one another.   A well-balanced article by Tim Shuff in the recent issue of In The Hills “Can Gravel Be Green”  describes an interesting agreement and the creation of the Socially and Environmentally Responsible Aggregate (SERA) organization to certify aggregate operations following more responsible practices. http://www.inthehills.ca/2011/09/current/green-gravel/

The Rural Ontario Institute is pleased to be a co-sponsor of an upcoming seminar with the Canadian Urban Institute, SERA and the Canada Green Building Council on October 27, 2011 in Brampton to explore how Ontario can use more recycled aggregate and thereby avoid the impacts of extracting and transporting aggregate.  Other countries use a lower proportion of “virgin” aggregate than we now use – why aren't we? How do we get there from here so that our rural environment can suffer less degradation?  Register here.   https://canurb.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=68

Norman Ragetlie, Director, Policy & Stakeholder Engagement

Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) board member, Chris White will be on the current affairs program The Agenda with Steve Paikin, as a panelist on the topic of ‘The Political Divide:  Is there a Rural/ Urban Divide?’, next Monday evening, October 17, 2011.  ROI was contacted by TVO mid week and asked to put forward some names for consideration by the producer of the show.  Chris is going to represent and bring forward the rural perspective along with panelists Gary McNamara, AMO President and Mayor of Tecumseh; John Tory, Chair of the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance, host of Live Drive with John Tory on Newstalk 1010 radio in Toronto, and former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party (2004 to 2009); and John Duffy, from StrategyCorp.  

The show is being taped on Monday afternoon, October 17^th and will be aired on Monday evening of the same day, at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on TVOntario.  Check your local TV company/ service provider for the specific channel in your neighbourhood!

If you missed the show on Monday evening, you can access the YouTube version of the entire segment by clicking here.

Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer

2010 data from a study that came out this  May contains information with urban/rural comparisons for Canadian households and the extent to which they are accessing the internet.  The proportion of rural Canadian households accessing the internet sits at around 71% whereas cities have access rates around 81%.  Access rates also differ depending on the province you are in and the level of household income and age. 

The purposes Canadians connect to the internet goes far beyond email and social networking – accessing information about government services, researching health issues and searching for employment, for example, are all important reasons people give for using the internet.  We think this study builds the business case for rural advocates who continue to urge government support for increasing broadband access for rural Canadians.

In 2010, 8 out of 10 Canadian households (79%) had access to the Internet. Over one-half of connected households used more than one type of device to go online.  About 81% of households located in census metropolitan areas and 76% of households located in census agglomerations had home Internet access, compared with 71% of households outside of these areas.  Rates of access were highest in British Columbia (84%) and Alberta (83%), followed by Ontario, where the rate was 81%.  (The Canadian Internet Use Survey was redesigned for 2010 and its findings should not be compared with those from previous surveys).  http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/110525/dq110525b-eng.htm

Norman Ragetlie, Director, Policy & Stakeholder Engagement

Further to the Rural Ontario Institute’s efforts to gather and provide information on each party’s platforms regarding rural concerns in the current provincial election we came across this resource prepared by the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association.  http://www.omssa.com/lib/db2file.asp?fileid=37255  It is heartening to see that the Association thought it important to look at the commitments to rural Ontarions in the context of their overall interest in Municipal Finance, Housing, Child Care/Early Learning, Seniors, Poverty/Economic Security,and Northerners. 

Norman Ragetlie, Director, Policy & Stakeholder Engagement

The Rural Ontario Institute received a detailed response from the provincial Liberal party to the “Questions of Importance to Rural and Small Town Ontario”.  Several weeks ago we posed these questions to the leaders of each of the 4 main parties.  Premier McGuinty’s reply begins….

Thank you very much for your letter and questions on behalf of the Rural Ontario Institute. Ontario Liberals recognize that small towns and rural communities face unique challenges and circumstances. I am pleased to provide you with the attached response, which outlines the Ontario Liberal Party’s position on these issues of vital importance.

The question by question responses are posted verbatim here.

The agriculture and agri-food sectors and rural communities across Ontario are sure to be in good hands in to the future, if the latest AALP Class 14 is any indication!  Seminar #1 took place Sunday, September 25^th through to Wednesday, September 28^th and the programming was well received by all involved.  Wednesday afternoon saw a tired group of individuals leave the Cambridge Holiday Inn after a worthwhile but intensive 3 ½ day program.  A highlight for the group was the opening banquet on Tuesday evening where more than 50 sponsors, friends, supporters, ROI Directors and AALP Advisory Committee members turned up to congratulate this newest AALP Class and to wish them well on their upcomgin leadership journey.  Lorie Jocius of Guelph and President of Canada’s Outdoor Shows Limited provided the evening keynote address and stressed the importance of leadership in agriculture while encouraging AALP Class 14 to speak up and have a voice for agriculture.  Her message was well received by all in attendance.

Class 14 is made up of a strong group of 30 individuals who are passionate on all things agriculture and rural… and who are keen and excited to be participating over the next 19 months on their AALP leadership journey.   These current and emerging leaders were selected on the basis of their written applications and by panel interviews.   

Over the next 19 months, Class 14 participants will come together for approximately 48 days and they will graduate in early April 2013.  During their time in the program they will learn more about leadership and organizational development theories and practices, government and political processes, economics, trade policy, global affairs, sector and industry related issues in Ontario and globally through North American and International study travel components. 

Thirteen class members represent primary production agriculture and the remainder of the group comes from the agri-business and agri-food sectors, municipal government and the provincial and federal governments and their agencies. 

Established in 1984, the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) has graduated over 380 leaders who are now making a positive difference across Ontario and beyond. In a recent Ipsos survey, ninety nine per cent of AALP alumni reported that they regularly use the skills learned in the program and ninety eight per cent say that the program has made them better leaders.  Graduates use their increased skills and knowledge of the entire agri-food system to work with others to lead, direct and manage change within the industry.

For more information visit www.aalp.on.ca

Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer