The Grassroots Greenhouse 2023

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Canada’s Agriculture & Food Sectors Viewed as a Key Driver of National Security and Critical Infrastructure TORONTO, ON – August 15, 2023 – The fifth annual national Agri-Food public opinion poll by Grassroots Public Affairs…
OLA

#GrassrootsGlimpse: A snapshot of the new 2022 Ontario MPPs

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Following the 2022 Ontario provincial elections, 36 new Members of Provincial Parliament have been announced. 36 out of 124 Ontario Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) will be taking a seat in the Legislative Chamber for the first…
Photo by Roman Synkevych on Unsplash

The Grassroots Greenhouse 2021

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As enthusiastic advocates for the Canadian Agri-Food sector, Grassroots Public Affairs is pleased to release our third annual agriculture and food research public opinion poll.
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Ontario Budget 2021: A Blueprint for Recovery

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On Wednesday afternoon, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy delivered the much-anticipated 2021 Ontario budget. After the COVID-19 pandemic delayed last year’s budget until the fall, the government is likely eager to get things back on track as it moves towards the 2022 provincial election.

Observations Drawn from Polling on Agriculture

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Since 2017, we at Grassroots have had the good fortune to partner with clients in the Agri-Food sector to measure Canadian’s attitudes towards our domestic food industry. Our findings have helped us advise organizations on how best to frame their messaging so that government and the general public are more receptive to their ‘asks’.

New Year, New Opportunities

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As we begin the first quarter of 2021, with lockdowns in place and government struggling to combat a virus that just doesn’t want to go away, it may be challenging to stay optimistic. Whether you feel ready or not, there is work to be done with your organization’s advocacy and government relations plans for the coming year.
Official portrait of Vice President Joe Biden.

Biden wins the White House – what does it mean for Canada?

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With the January 20th inauguration date on the horizon, Grassroots connected with two key business influencers in Ottawa to get their perspectives on what Canada’s business environment could look like moving forward, with a Democrat back in the White House.

Fiscal Governance in a Pandemic: Ontario's Provincial Budget

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On Thursday, in a sparsely populated legislature, Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips rose to deliver the government’s provincial budget, almost eight months after originally scheduled. In a year like no other, fallout from the pandemic and a struggling economy has forced this government to bury their fiscally conservative tendencies in favour of increased spending to support Ontarians.
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Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire: From Queen’s Park to Food Processing

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Our newest team member, Catherine O'Gorman, reflects on her experience leaving a policy job in downtown Toronto to start a new chapter in the agri-food sector with her fiancé.
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Queen's Park Update: October 2020

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2020 continues to be challenging for everyone, governments included. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Ford government to chuck the playbook from 2019 and essentially start from scratch. Governments have never been very good at planning long-term but nowadays, with the pandemic and changing priorities on a weekly basis, every government’s priority is focused on protecting the health and well-being of its citizens; while simultaneously doing whatever possible to help an economy that has been devastated since the lockdown.
Governor General Julie Payettehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Trudeau lays out government’s plan with Throne Speech

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Yesterday, the government laid out its plan to get Canada back on track and move forward from COVID-19. With the Governor General reading the Speech from the Throne, Parliament has now officially reconvened and will begin to sit regularly (using a hybrid model of in-person and virtual sittings) with House of Commons Committees resuming after Thanksgiving.
Photo by Brian McGowan on Unsplash

3 Steps to Effective Crisis Communications

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Communication is a daunting and difficult task even at the best of times. In times of crisis, such as COVID-19, “difficult” rises to an entirely higher stratosphere. In the midst of a difficult crisis, (and let’s face it, there are no easy crises) and during those times when you might be responsible to communicate elements of that crisis, your abilities will be stretched to their ultimate limits. If you muck it up, the consequences may be severe.