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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-07-14, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016. McQuail honoured by NDP Women's Caucus Quite an honour Fran McQuail of Lucknow was recently honoured by the Ontario NDP Women's Caucus with the Agnes McPhail Award, named for the first Canadian female Member of Parliament. (Photo submitted) Fran McQuail of Lucknow was honoured by the Ontario New Democratic Party Women's Caucus at the recent Provincial Council in Toronto. McQuail, a long-time resident of Huron, has been an activist in the environmental and farm communities and with the New Democratic Party for over 40 years. The Agnes MacPhail award, named after the first Canadian female Member of Parliament, honours women in the party who have made significant contributions to the advancement of women and women's issues. Agnes McPhail was originally from Grey County and was familiar with farm country activism. She wrote as a farm issues journalist and was the farm organizer for the CCF in the 1940s. She would have been pleased with this first ever recipient from Huron - Bruce to be awarded in her name. The recipient of the award must have worked for the advancement of women and women's causes inside and outside the party. In 1984, Fran McQuail was involved in the inception of Women Today of Huron, a non-profit rural women's resource centre in Goderich which pre -dated many current government services for women. It operated for 30 years to 2008. The centre provided programs to enhance the economic self-reliance of women, offer community violence prevention education, undertook research on issues concerning rural women and participated in collaborative community initiatives with sister agencies. Fran served on the Board of Directors for 13 years and as its president in 1986. She acted as a facilitator, helped design programming and was the financial officer for several government - funded projects. In the tradition of Agnes MacPhail, the recipient of the award may also have been a role model for other women, by exhibiting leadership on issues that may not exclusively be seen as women's issues. Former NDP Candidate Grant Robertson says, "Fran McQuail is exactly the kind of woman that Agnes MacPhail got involved in politics to represent and to speak for. Agnes took on many causes and championed many important issues, but always central to her thinking were the lessons she learned living and working amongst rural women. Fran exemplifies this spirit. She is strong, compassionate and a tireless worker for the under -represented and marginalized. Fran has a lifetime's history of breaking down barriers for women and then supporting and mentoring succeeding generations. Fran has been the backbone of much of the NDP's work in rural southwestern Ontario; teaching many the practicalities of running a campaign and supporting women who come forward into leadership roles in the local party membership. But her leadership in food security and sovereignty and organic agriculture is something that I know Agnes MacPhail would have considered vital work...Perseverance; and an understanding that we need to use our voice and our skills to speak for others who may be ignored by those in power. Challenging that power and fighting for change. Creating alternative economic levers that create wealth in and for communities. These are not slogans, or ideals for Fran; they are quite simply who and what she is. I can think of no more powerful woman to exemplify what we celebrate with this award than Fran McQuail." Fran has been a farmer and co- partner with her husband Tony at Meeting Place Organic Farm for over 42 years. Over the years she has been a member of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture and the National Farmers Union. Heather Klopp noted that in the 1980s "Fran made me feel comfortable among the Huron County farmers at a time when I was new to the OFA scene — but not in a way that I was only the female partner to a farmer, but that I WAS a farmer. I was learning, but I was still a farmer. She gave her opinion and asked mine, and mine mattered to her!" McQuail's seminal work for sustainable agriculture, however, was in the founding of the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario in 1989. This organization develops and provides programs promoting the practice and advancement of ecological agriculture which maintains and enhances the health of the soil, water, crops, livestock and the diversity of the environment. Fran and Tony were founding members. Fran has served on the provincial board, as president, as treasurer, and currently as the west committee chair. Since the late 1970s, beginning with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Agri Skills Abroad program, the McQuails have taken in and mentored farmers from developing countries, then internationally and now from across the country. Their farm is one of the founding farms for CRAFT, the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training. Since 2003 the McQuails have hosted and mentored one to four interns a year — many of them women — to share knowledge, work and lifestyle choices on ecological and organic farms with the next generation. Fran is the current Treasurer of this organization. Since 2005, Fran has further extended her mentorship as a Certified Holistic Management Educator teaching, alongside Tony, annual six-day courses that educate and support farmers, ranchers and land stewards through a whole farm planning system. The course addresses the environmental, economic and social issues farmers face today and helps them manage their farm business and land sustainably. The McQuails' farming practices at Meeting Place Organic farm were recently the subject of a documentary film. Over the years the McQuails have been honoured with the Huron Country Federation of Agriculture Award For Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture, the Wingham and Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Award of Agriculture Excellence and the 2013 Organic Council of Canada Ontario Volunteer Award. Within the NDP Fran McQuail has been active since the mid-1980s and is an experienced powerhouse when it comes to membership, fundraising, training and finances. She is an integral part of the Huron Bruce NDP and a critical voice both during and outside of campaign periods. Fran has been a real role model for women who have become involved with the NDP or who have run as candidates. She has mentored many women volunteers and activists and taught them how to run effective and organized campaigns. One former candidate had found her niche in Toronto City Hall. Other volunteers have gone on to run other campaigns across the country and the rest continue to form a strong core of women activists in Huron Bruce. Fran herself also acted as Constituency Assistant for Paul Klopp during his term as an Ontario MLA. Former Huron -Bruce NDP President Willi Laurie said, "Fran certainly inspired me to be a better person, to have some fun in life while making a meaningful contribution. Her solid background and dependability over the years, her eagerness to mentor new members as well as her willingness to take on whatever needed to be done make her an excellent role model and a wonderful choice as the recipient of the Agnes MacPhail award." Fran also prioritizes her life to enjoy her family and outside interests. McQuail has been a Blyth Festival Singer and supporter of the theatre for years. She is active in the Quakers organization, which, in the tradition of Agnes MacPhail, advocates for world peace. She loves her books and her canoe adventures with friends and family. Fran and Tony have two adult daughters and two grandchildren who are the pride of their life. Services debate continues Continued from page 18 there aren't, the councils should move on. He said that councils are elected to take care of ratepayers' money, so if there are potential savings to be found, council owes it to its ratepayers to find them. Council agreed to discuss the issue at its Aug. 9 meeting, council's only meeting in the month of August. The next day, at Huron County Council's July 6 meeting, MacLellan further discussed the shared services proposal, saying he is in the midst of preparing a delegation to speak to South Huron Council. If South Huron were to consider coming aboard, he said, a shared services agreement between Huron East, Central Huron, Bluewater and South Huron would effectively join the services of the "southern" portion of the county. 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