FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 2, 2021
QUEEN’S PARK – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett rose in the Ontario Legislature today to speak in favour of a Private Member’s Motion to increase student awareness and education about the importance of conservation. Barrett formerly taught Agriculture and Environmental Science at Simcoe Composite School.
Markham-Thornhill MPP Logan Kanapathi introduced the Private Member’s Motion today to raise awareness about conservation initiatives such as planting trees. It would also allow student volunteer hours from taking part in the Provincial Day of Action on Litter to count towards the hours students need to graduate secondary school.
Noting that Kanapathi learned about tree planting from family, Barrett said he did as well.
“I learned from my father, my grandfather,” Barrett recounted. “We’ve planted hundreds of acres on our farms in southern Ontario. In fact, it could be another month from now when we can all be out there planting trees again, which I do every year.”
The legislative debate around Kanapathi’s motion also addressed greenhouse gases.
“This is something we’ve been debating since the 1950s,” Barrett said. “Some people have recently discovered this issue. I have a Globe and Mail article from 1953 that talks about the greenhouse effect. I put this forward: The answers lie in forestry and farming.”
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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519+428+0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org
Video link: https://www.facebook.com/100002252157929/videos/3687857751299260/
ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Draft Hansard
March 1, 2021
Mr. Toby Barrett: I appreciate the opportunity to offer my support to the member for Markham–Thornhill for this motion. As he mentioned, he learned from his father about tree planting. I learned from my father, my grandfather. We’ve planted hundreds of acres on our farms in southern Ontario. In fact, it could be another month from now when we can all be out there planting trees again, which I do every year.
You mentioned greenhouse gases. This is something we’ve been debating since the 1950s. Some people have recently discovered this issue. I have a Globe and Mail article from 1953 that talks about the greenhouse effect. I put this forward: The answers lie in forestry and farming.
We talked a lot about greenhouse gases when I taught environmental science at the high school level in the 1970s. I’m very pleased that our Minister of Education spoke in support of this motion from my friend Logan. During that course, we covered everything back in the day from pipelines, sustainable agriculture. The kids loved the course. The second year I taught it, the enrolment doubled with this course. I fully support more initiatives to be brought back within our high school system.
The member mentioned that he learned from his father. I have seen photographs of Logan’s father. He was a farmer. My family had farms in Markham. That was 200 years ago. Remember?
Ms. Donna Skelly: I remember that.
Mr. Toby Barrett: I’m not sure what those farms look like now. The member learned from his father. Ensuing generations will learn from this member. I fully support this initiative.