Dear Members:

It is my pleasure to write to you after a successful 2023 OHEA Annual Meeting.  At the meeting, there were several OHEA Past Presidents present, and a couple of people who attended their their first Annual Meeting,

Then, reports were given, there was discussion about member engagement and elections were carried out. 

After the elections, Jason Eaton, Cailin Whincop, Allison Teich, Cathy Enright, Roula Hawa, Mary Carver, and myself, Camille Naranjit remain on the OHEA Board of Directors to serve you.

I am giving a warm welcome to Linda Robbins, our newly acclaimed secretary-treasurer.  She brings forth a wealth of experience from her past involvement with CHEA.  We look forward to working with her in her term to come.

On a sadder note after serving OHEA well, we say goodbye to Brooke McLean, Taylor Page, Ranuri Kandumulla, and Shelby Weaver, and thank them for their dedication and service to our association.

At present, the branch representatives (except Ottawa Branch as Mary has decided to stay on) and the student liaison will be appointed and notify us prior to starting up again in September. 

At present there are still vacancies (VP Communications, VP Social media, 1 VP Public Policy, VP Professional Development, 1 Member-at-Large) and we are looking to appoint members in good standing. Please, if you have a slight interest in stepping up in volunteering with a project or joining our Board of Directors, we would love to hear from you.  Also, if you can think of a colleague who is a member of OHEA who may be interested, please invite the member to contact us. We will give you information with no strings attached.  

Simply email Eileen for more information at [email protected].

Have a wonderful summer.
Camille Naranjit
President, OHEA

​A four-hour interactive Grow Ontario Food Summit hosted by the Hon. Lisa Thompson Ontario Ministry of Agriculture & Food (OMAFRA) was held on March 27, at Hart House, University of Toronto. OHEA was invited.

Diane O’Shea P.H.Ec. and Mary Carver, P.H.Ec. attended virtually on OHEA’s behalf, while Dr. Peggy O’Neil, P.H.Ec. attended in-person representing Brescia University College. A number of speakers made presentations, then intermittently the 260 (or so) attendees were divided into small breakout sessions (virtually and on-site) to add to the discussion.

What were Home Economists hoping to achieve by attending the provincial Food Summit?

To be heard, OHEA must be visible as a professional body and watchful of opportunities to speak to issues impacting families. The Summit was a rare chance to influence decisions at a government table set with like-minded others who support Ontario food production and food literacy on many levels.

As Professional Home Economists, we know the complexity of food. Many OHEA members work in a variety of businesses and organizations connected to the food system. Agriculture is a key component of Ontario's food system.

Strengthening the Agri-food supply chain is important to the present government while increasing Agri-food technology and attracting educated and skilled participants. The goals are admirable in establishing a trust in the quality and dependable supply of food and agricultural products produced in Ontario. Food Systems Literacy is a critical part of the process.

While the "business" of agriculture was forefront in the speaker presentations, breakout groups offered other conversations and further considerations that must be accounted for in government actions. Diane, Mary and Peggy were all able to discuss the need for improved food literacy at all levels.

Home Economists spoke up!

A take-away from the event: We encourage OHEA members to respond to OMAFRA's Red Tape Reduction Plan — please see here.

After the event, a follow-up letter was sent to the Hon. Lisa Thompson as our appreciation to be included in the summit.

Looking to build your leadership skills? OHEA is currently looking to fill the Secretary/Treasurer Board position.

As the Treasurer, you will:

• Be the one of the signing officers at the bank
• Help make financial decisions with the board related to OHEA finances
• Provide financial approvals monthly (e.g. sign off on cheques)
• Liaise with a representative at the bank when the board has questions or concerns
• Monitor Association’s investments and make plan with the bank’s advisor
• Attend all board meetings (2 hours per month)
  
  

Commitment: About 3 to 4 hours per month

The candidate must:

• Be a Professional Home Economist or a Member of the OHEA
• Have basic financial knowledge about budgets and a laddering investment strategy is required
• Be available to attend virtual board meetings each month, which are typically held on a weekday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  
  

Term:

• Board term is two years, with a possible extension up to 4 years.

We are also looking for P.H.Ec. Members to fill the following board vacancies:

• President-Elect
• VP Communications
  
• VP Professional Development

To apply, please connect with us, [email protected].

Test Kitchens may be a thing of the past, but friendships made among Home Economists who worked in them have lasted for decades. Home Economists now are more informed and look to sustainability, farming, vulnerabilities and opportunities galore. The Home Economists like me, who worked in the Best Foods test kitchen, were about product promotion. That is not a bad thing and I can still make anything with a jar of Hellman's mayonnaise. 


My first test kitchen friend, Jane Carman, worked for Standard Brands in Montreal, and now Margaret Macdonald, whom I met just three years ago, worked for Manitoba Hydro. Strong women, women of science. We understand the losses we are facing in Home Economics. Let me plug in for our new Professional Practice Course soon to be launched. You ought to follow it; Sue McGregor, who wrote about the Home Ec ring, also read it — who knew? And the link here to Betty Crocker — my friend Ellie Topp told me she had a job offer there. 

The Private Member’s Bill 216 was introduced by Daryl Kramp, MPP for Hastings, Lennox & Addington in October 2020.  
https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-216

Bill 216 passed the first two readings easily and was awaiting its final reading when the September 2021 Federal election was called. All incomplete Bills were postponed when the Ontario government was prorogued for the Federal election. Covid and Mr. Kramp’s personal illness may have added to the delay of Bill 216.   

To prorogue is “to: discontinue a session of (a parliament or other legislative assembly) without dissolving it.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary

We are told that the Bill is expected to be re-introduced to the Legislature in the Spring of 2022 and, as is the custom, will likely be given a new number. Mr. Kramp’s goal is to get Bill 216 though the legislature by April, 2022. 

In a January 2022 update, Mr. Kramp states, “Bill 216 will create a larger role in the curriculum for Ontario students to learn tips about healthy eating, cooking and purchasing habits. Stake holders and organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation and Canadian Diabetes Association are firmly backing this idea.” https://inquinte.ca/story/look-ahead-hla-mpp-daryl-kramp

 To date, OHEA has written three letters in support for Bill 216:

• Read OHEA’s letter of support dated January 10, 2022 here
  
  
• Read OHEA’s letter of support dated November 12, 2021 here
  
  

On Jan.18, 2022 Diane O’Shea P.H.Ec. and Mary Carver, P.H.Ec. participated in a stakeholders’ meeting that included Sarah Keyes (KFLA FPC); Lynn Roblin, RD; Alicia Martin (U of Guelph); Sandy Maxwell (OPHA); Dr. Peggy O’Neil, P.H.Ec.  (Brescia University College); Debbie Field (Coalition for Healthy School Food); Janet Nezon (Rainbow Plate); Liz Scanlon (Heart and Stroke); Julia Pereira (Can Cancer Society); Sunday Harrison (GTGK);); Carolyn Webb (Sustain Ontario). The meeting was an opportunity to discuss a collective approach to support Bill 216 when it’s re-introduced in the Spring. Diane O’Shea forwarded the link to “Food Literacy: A Competency Progression Framework for Children & Youth,”   - presented by Dr. Joyce Slater, PhD University of Manitoba.
https://cns-scn.ca/education-portal/view/food-literacy-a-competency-progression-framework-for-children-youth

Curriculum content and who will be teaching food skills and nutrition are concerns for OHEA. The OHEA Board advocates for fully qualified teachers certified as Family Studies Educators to ensure consistent, accurate nutrition information.

When and if more letters to MPP’s are requested, OHEA will contact its members to help support the Bill.  Waiting for correct timing and a newly assigned Bill number should better help to direct your letters in the right direction.

Thank you to OHEA members for their continued interest and support.

Mary Carver, P.HEc. 

The 2018-2019 President's award was presented by Dr. June Matthews, PhD, RD, P.H.Ec., to Rachelle Provost, P.H.Ec. on March 23, 2019. Congratulations Rachelle! We are P.H.Ec. proud of you. 

The following  speech was read by June at the annual OHEA conference. 

The recipient of this award is chosen by the President to recognize the outstanding volunteer contributions of an individual member in the preceding year.

The member receiving the award for 2018-19 has definitely made an outstanding contribution to OHEA! She has volunteered hundreds of hours over the past year to make sure we are a relevant professional association in the 21st century. She is a shining example of the skills and talents that young Professional Home Economists bring to our association.

The 2018-2019 Founder's award was presented by Dr. June Matthews, PhD, RD, P.H.Ec., to Maria Depenweiller, P.H.Ec. on March 23, 2019. Congratulations Maria! We are P.H.Ec. proud of you. 

The following  speech was read by June at the annual OHEA conference. 

The Founder’s Award is given to a Professional Home Economist who has made sustained and outstanding contributions to the profession in the broader communities in which he/she practices.

This is certainly the case for this year’s recipient! A young Professional Home Economist, she, too, has dedicated hundreds of hours to OHEA, and previously to her local Home Economics branch. This is a significant accomplishment given that she has many other personal and professional commitments.