Mayor's Breakfast for Halton Industry Education Council

Today was a once a year special day for Milton Mayor Gord Krantz and myself as we co-host the breakfast for the Halton Industry Education Council. Over the past 20 years the HIEC has played a key role in providing positive learning experience for the students in Halton Region. The working partnership between businesses and schools has helped make Halton a great place for businesses to locate and students to find excellent employment opportunities close to home.

We know technological advances are upon us so quickly today that the need for a well educated and competent work force is a priority for both business and our community.

Today young people need to constantly upgrade their skills throughout their careers and the HIEC will continue to play an important part in their long learning journey.

Today there was a good crowd of about 200 people at Rattlesnake golf course. Many school board trustees as well as councillor Dave Kentner. Many students, educators and busy people were there. After breakfast there was a panel discussion of businesses and students who have gone through the program and they took questions from the floor.

The Student C0-Op program operated by HIEC is well received by the business community: students learn what the " real working world " is a like. There is no fiction here. It prepares them to enter the work force as productive players.
HIEC should be thanked for their ongoing commitment to make our community and region of Halton a great place to live and work.

Halton Plowing Match - where farmer meets farmer

Today I was at the annual Halton Plowing Match. This year Ernie Alexander's farm was the host farm. There was a lot of events today including 50/50 draw in support of the Plowman's Association, lunch, and of course tilling contests and of course the politician's contest to driving a tractor. All three of the Halton Hills rural councillors were there ( Bryan Lewis, Clark Somerville and Joan Robson ) along with Milton Mayor Gord Krantz and Milton local councillor Cindy Lunau. Most important many farmers from all over Halton were there. You could see many pockets of farmers talking to each other, comparing crops, the markets the economy and a host of other conversations. People came and participated for most of the day. There were even beautiful horses pulling. Once in awhile you can turn the clock back. For the people in the farming community this is a day where they can strut their stuff. For the plow contest there are many rules to score points. I will share just a few of them so you can fully understand how skilled are farming community really are.


1. You lose a point for each five minutes of overtime.
2. Average depth of furrows have to be a minimum of 6 inches
3. No shaping of the furrows by hand, plow stake or otherwise will be allowed.
4. The width of the furrow will not be less than nine inches for walking plows and 12 inches in tractor classes excepting in the crown and finish.

Just a few of the rules that contestants have to obey by.
In Halton Hills we have a rich history in agriculture and it is one that our council will fight to maintain.