Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Day 6: A day at the Canadian Embassy

Our day began with a fabulous breakfast at the Crown Plaza hotel. We boarded the bus and were reminded a few times by our daily coordinators, Ann Vermeersch and Dylan Wiens, not to forget our passports for the Embassy. We arrived safely at the Canadian Embassy, driven, of course, by our spectacular bus driver Nancy, where we were reminded once again – do not forget your passports!

After a quick security check we settled into a theatre room.

Mike Hawkins welcomed us, we introduced ourselves and then we heard from our first speaker David Salmonsen. David is from the American Farm Bureau, an organization that works with congress and deals with trade relations. During the Q&A we found out the he is a past graduate of LEAD New York.

Our second speaker of the day was Gilles Gauthier, Head of the Economic and Trade Department at the Embassy. After a relatively quick rundown of his department he called on us for feedback to encourage discussion.

Next we heard from Mike Hawkins, Agriculture Councilor, and Brad Wood, First Secretary Agriculture and Fisheries, on the topic of Canada-US relations regarding agriculture.


At 11:30 we got a fantastic tour of the Embassy, where we took in the beautiful Canadian artwork and the spectacular view from the top floor.

After the tour we were served lunch. We enjoyed sandwiches paired with an arugula salad. Then back to the Theatre room for our final speaker, Dalton Henry. Dalton is the Director of Policy for the U.S. Wheat Associates. We had an excellent discussion to end our visit.

It was then off to the U.S. Capitol Building for a guided tour. We were provided with a nice overview of the Capitol Building, and admired numerous statues and paintings. It was unfortunate they were doing some repair work and scaffolding covered most of the walls in the dome.

We enjoyed a free evening to finish off our day. Our classmates scattered around the city to enjoy the sites.

-Class 16

Views: 329

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

How One Simple Tool Can Help Protect Crop Quality

The Keep it Clean pre-harvest interval calculator helps canola and pulse growers determine the required waiting period between pesticide application and harvest to protect crop quality.

Heat and Rain have led to a challenging growing season for Cauliflower Growers in Ontario.

As Ontario's cauliflower harvest begins, local growers rely on irrigation and skilled management to navigate summer heat and deliver fresh, high-quality produce across the province.

Foreign Workers Fill Jobs Young Canadians Avoid: CFIB

Nine in 10 small businesses using Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program say they cannot fill those positions with local employees, according to new research from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. The CFIB said in a release Tuesday that many of the jobs most commonly filled by temporary foreign workers involve overnight shifts, heavy physical labour, outdoor conditions, seasonal schedules or rural locations — work conditions many young Canadians are reluctant to accept. Nearly half of surveyed youth said they would not seek jobs requiring regular overnight work or frequent heavy physical effort. More than one-third said they would avoid mainly outdoor positions or jobs paying at or near minimum wage, the CFIB release said. Harvesting labourers account for about 32% of temporary foreign worker positions in Canada. Other common occupations include nursery and greenhouse workers, cooks, livestock labourers and food service supervisors. Location is another major b

Who Knew so Much Canadian Watermelon is Grown in Ontario

Ontario watermelon season is underway, with growers in Southwestern Ontario preparing for harvest. Warm summer conditions are supporting crop development as consumers look for this locally grown fruit.

4-H Alberta celebrates graduates while investing in the next generation of leaders

Graduation may mark the end of one chapter for 4-H Alberta members, but the organization hopes it is just the beginning of a lifelong connection to leadership and community involvement. In its July Scoop newsletter, 4-H Alberta is celebrating its 2026 graduates while introducing new leadership opportunities designed to help member, and volunteers,continue growing within the organization. Celebrating the Class of 2026 Gardner encourages graduates to remain connected to the organization, noting that the skills developed through 4-H — including communication, responsibility, confidence and leadership — will continue to serve them throughout their education, careers and community involvement. Building leadership for the future Building on that commitment to leadership development, 4-H Alberta has announced the launch of its new Legacy Leaders Program. The initiative builds on the long-standing Key Leaders program while providing additional training, expanded resources, clearer role exp

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service