On November 24, 2010, the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries hosted its 3rd annual reception for MPPs at the Legislative Building of Queen’s Park.
We were very pleased to have as our special speaker the Honourable Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture. He spoke eloquently about the value of public libraries and was accompanied by his senior staff including his Deputy Minister, Assistant Deputy Minister, and the Director of the Programs and Services Branch. Board Chair Jim Bennett also spoke to the crowd, reinforcing the Federation’s key messages to government, which were presented to MPPs in a four-page handout.
In total, 16 MPPs attended the reception. Attendance had the following breakdown:
- 11 Liberals (3 Ministers, 6 Parliamentary Assistants, 2 others)
- 1 Conservative
- 4 New Democrats
Specifically, the following Ministers were there:
- Hon. Michael Chan, Tourism and Culture
- Hon. John Gerretsen, Consumer Services
- Hon. John Wilkinson, Environment
The Parliamentary Assistants in attendance were:
- Laura Albanese, Tourism and Culture
- Kim Craitor, Tourism and Culture
- Bob Delaney, Revenue
- Kevin Daniel Flynn, Education
- Jean-Marc Lalonde, Health Promotion and Sport
- Liz Sandals, Health and Long-Term Care
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Steve Peters, was also in attendance. Special thanks go to all members of the Federation’s Board of Directors for helping to organize and host this excellent event.