Ernie Hardeman

The Honourable
Ernie Hardeman
ECO MPP
Hardeman in 2018
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
In office
June 29, 2018 – June 18, 2021
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byJeff Leal
Succeeded byLisa Thompson
Dean of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 28, 2025
Preceded byTed Arnott
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Oxford
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 8, 1995
Preceded byKim Sutherland
Personal details
Born (1947-12-04) December 4, 1947
Political partyProgressive Conservative Party
RelationsJohn Vanthof (nephew)
Residence(s)Salford, Ontario, Canada
OccupationBusiness owner

Ernie Hardeman ECO MPP (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. Upon his re-election in 2025, with the retirement of Ted Arnott, he became the longest serving member of Ontario Provincial Parliament.

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

2022 Ontario general election: Oxford
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Progressive Conservative 22,166 50.01 −5.72 $47,286
New Democratic Lindsay Wilson 9,504 21.44 −8.98 $37,217
Liberal Mary Holmes 5,457 12.31 +5.39 $23,863
Ontario Party Karl Toews 3,579 8.08 +7.22 $39,947
Green Cheryle Rose Baker 2,097 4.73 +0.42 $570
New Blue Connie Oldenburger 1,518 3.43   $7,700
Total valid votes/expense limit 44,321 99.46 +0.91 $134,298
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 240 0.54 -0.91
Turnout 44,561 46.45 -12.8
Eligible voters 94,368
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +1.63
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.
2018 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ernie Hardeman 29,152 55.73 +9.49
New Democratic Tara King 15,917 30.43 +4.66
Liberal James Howard 3,620 6.92 -14.41
Green Albert De Jong 2,254 4.31 -0.53
Ontario Party Robert Van Ryswyck 447 0.85
Libertarian Chris Swift 370 0.71 -0.18
Independent David Sikal 335 0.64
Freedom Tim Hodges 216 0.41 -0.53
Total valid votes 52,311 100.0  
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots
Turnout 60.20
Eligible voters 86,877
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +2.42
Source: Elections Ontario[14]

Cabinet positions

References

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