Ernie Hardeman

Ernie Hardeman (born December 4, 1947) is a Canadian politician who served as Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs from 2018 to 2021 in the Doug Ford government and as Minister of Agriculture and Food from 1999 to 2001 in the Mike Harris government. He represents the rural riding of Oxford for the Progressive Conservative Party.

Ernie Hardeman
MPP
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
In office
June 29, 2018 – June 18, 2021
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byJeff Leal
Succeeded byLisa Thompson
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Oxford
Assumed office
June 8, 1995
Preceded byKim Sutherland
Personal details
Born (1947-12-04) December 4, 1947
Political partyProgressive Conservative Party
RelationsJohn Vanthof (nephew)
ResidenceSalford, Ontario
OccupationBusiness owner

Background

Hardeman was the owner and operator of Hardeman Feed Limited, established in Salford, Ontario, from 1966 to 1995.[1] Hardeman's nephew, John Vanthof, is a current sitting MPP for the New Democratic Party and behind his uncle in the legislature.[2]

Politics

He served as mayor of the Township of Southwest Oxford from 1988 to 1994.[3] He was chair of the Wardens' Association of Ontario in 1990–91, and served as a board member on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.[1]

Hardeman was elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1995, defeating incumbent New Democrat Kimble Sutherland by about 8000 votes.[4][5] The Progressive Conservatives under Mike Harris won the election, and Hardeman was a government backbench supporter for the next four years. In 1996, he was commissioned by the government to conduct a survey on the possible amalgamation of Hamilton, Ontario into a united municipality.

He was easily re-elected in the 1999 provincial election.[6] He was appointed to cabinet by Mike Harris as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on June 17, 1999.[4][7] As Minister, he replaced agricultural offices with the Agricultural Information Contact Centre. He was removed from cabinet on February 7, 2001.[8] On February 25, 2003, he returned to cabinet under Ernie Eves in the new position of Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, with Responsibility for Rural Affairs.[9]

Hardeman was re-elected in the 2003 election.[10] He supported Jim Flaherty's unsuccessful bid for the Progressive Conservative party's leadership in 2004.[11] On June 13, 2005, Hardeman's private members bill, Farm Implements Amendment Act, received third reading and royal assent.

In 2007 Hardeman was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term.[12] He served as Deputy House Leader and was then promoted to Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. He is also the PC critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

On June 16, 2008, Hardeman introduced a private member's bill which allows farmers to post seasonal, directional signage along provincial highways to advertise their Ontario grown produce and direct consumers to the farm. The bill was supported by many agricultural groups and unanimously passed first, second and third reading. On December 10, 2008, Signage to Promote Ontario Produced Agricultural Products Act received royal assent and became law.[13]

Electoral record
2018 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeErnie Hardeman29,15255.73+9.49
New DemocraticTara King15,91730.43+4.66
LiberalJames Howard3,6206.92-14.41
GreenAlbert De Jong2,2544.31-0.53
Ontario PartyRobert Van Ryswyck4470.85
LibertarianChris Swift3700.71-0.18
IndependentDavid Sikal3350.64
FreedomTim Hodges2160.41-0.53
Total valid votes 52,311100.0  
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots
Turnout 60.20
Eligible voters 86,877
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +2.42
Source: Elections Ontario[14]

References
  1. "Oxford". The Kitchener Record. 11 April 1995. p. A5.
  2. Steve Paikin (23 November 2011). "Ernie Hardeman and John Vanthof: All in the Family". The Agenda: TV Ontario. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  3. "Mayoral candidates faced voters across Ontario". Kitchener - Waterloo Record. 13 November 1991. p. D6.
  4. "Ontario Votes 2007". CBC. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  5. "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. 8 June 1995. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  6. "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. 3 June 1999. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  7. "Ontario Cabinet". The Spectator. Hamilton, Ont. 18 June 1999. p. C8.
  8. "Flaherty to be new Ontario finance chief". Sudbury Star. 8 February 2001. p. A5.
  9. "A list of Ontario's cabinet following Tuesday's shuffle". Canadian Press NewsWire. 25 February 2003. p. 1.
  10. "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. 2 October 2003. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  11. Wallace, James (24 January 2004). "Ontario PCs stuck between a Tory and a hard place". Sudbury Star. p. A9.
  12. "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 10 October 2007. p. 11 (xx). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  13. "Hardeman's Bill to Promote Ontario Agriculture Becomes Law". erniehardemanmpp.com. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  14. "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
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