Rural met urban on March 2 for Toronto 101, as members of the Perth-Wellington agricultural commodity organizations and their elected representatives met with their urban counterparts in Toronto for a city educational tour.
The event was hosted by John Wilkinson, MPP, Perth-Wellington along with his colleague Margarett Best, minister of health promotion and MPP for  Scarborough-Guildwood.
Toronto 101 is the urban version of the day of farm tours and rural activities held last summer in Perth-Wellington. Wilkinson began both Ag 101, where MPPs and cabinet members enjoy a taste and tour of the country, and Toronto 101 in 2004 to help educate each group by building bridges between rural and urban Ontario.
The day began with a bus tour to Toronto and a coffee session with cabinet members and MPPs at Queens Park, followed by a visit to question period. The group was joined by Bruce Crozier, MPP Essex, chair of the committee of the whole House and deputy Speaker; Bob Delaney, MPP Missisauga Streetsville, parliamentary assistant to the minister of revenue; Maria Van Bommel, MPP Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, parliamentary assistant to the minister responsible for women’s issues; Jim Brownell, MPP Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, parliamentary assistant to the minister of consumer services; Wayne Arthurs, MPP Pickering-Scarborough East, parliamentary assistant to the minister of finance; Kathleen Wynne, MPP Don Valley West, minister of transportation; Carol Mitchell, MPP Huron Bruce and minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs; John Gerretsen, MPP Kingston and the Islands, minister of environment; and Linda Jeffrey, MPP Brampton-Springdale, minister of natural resources.
The agricultural visitors enjoyed an excellent guided tour by Best of her riding of Scarborough-Guildwood with lunch at the at the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre; a presentation and tour of the Boys and Girls Club of Scarborough; a walking tour of the historical Guild Inn property led by local historian Donald Smith; and a tour of the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus led by Professor Franco Vaccarino, vice-president and principal, U of T Scarborough and Andrew Arifuzaman.
The 26 agricultural members attending the event included John Sealey, PAC Wellington South; Ron Weber, Waterloo Wellington National Farmers Union; William Denhartog, Wellington Christian Farmers; Karen Bertin, Wellington Cattlemen; and Rob Unsworth, Wellington County Cattleman.