b'DEMOCRACY LOOKS PRETTY ORDINARYAND THATS WHAT MAKES IT EXTRAORDINARYSeeing Question Period in person reveals the everyday power of democracy.IN NOVEMBER,I had the chance to sit in on Questionthat places agriculture as a strategic sector; and Period as part of the Interprovincial Seed Growersa rare alignment between government priorities Meeting in Ottawa hosted by the Ontario Seedand the work CSGA is doing on Seed Regulatory Growers Association. Ive followed politics for mostModernization.of my life, but seeing it unfold from the gallery offersIn short, we showed up in Ottawa at exactly the a perspective you cant get through a screen. Whatright time.struck me most was how ordinary it all wasand IVentin explained that government is hungry mean that in the best possible way. for regulatory reform, digital transformation and For all the theatrics, the barbs, the scripted linescost efficienciesall areas where SRM fits hand-By Marcand counterpunches, Question Period is ultimatelyin-glove. But she also cautioned that Agriculture Zienkiewicz the visible heartbeat of a democratic system thatand Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food countless people around the world would love toInspection Agency are facing 15% budget cuts. That have. Theres something humbling in the simplicity ofputs the onus on growers to highlight not just what it: we vote, we count seats, and whoever wins governsneeds fixing, but what already works and must be the country. That collective agreementthat trustprotected.is the quiet foundation of everything else. In a time of restraint, good systems dont stay Agriculture had its moments on the floor, mostlyintact unless the people who rely on them speak up.framed around food prices and affordability. ItsShe also offered a practical primer for the recep-always fascinating to hear our sector invoked in thetion to come. Ottawas agricultural community, political arena, even if its often in broad strokes.she noted, is surprisingly tight-knit and unusually But the real substance of the day came later, duringinfluential for its size. Relationships matter herean evening reception with MPs and senators. There,not performatively, but genuinely. Her message was in a room full of people who shape federal policy,simple: tell your story.the long-standing relationship between Ottawa andA line from her presentation kept coming back the agricultural community was unmistakable. Theto me throughout the day: Nine out of 10 bites of conversations were genuine, the interest real, thefood start with seed. In a city where food security, commitment visible. regulatory efficiency and economic resilience are top Earlier in the day, Carla Ventin of Mile26of mind, that message lands with force.Strategy provided a masterclass on how to navigateDemocracy may be noisy, imperfect and often that very ecosystemand why this moment mat- theatricalbut its also responsive when we choose ters so much. She laid out the political context withto engage. And for Canadas seed growers, this is one refreshing clarity: a minority government intent onof those moments when showing up really does make producing quick, tangible results; a federal budgeta difference. Attendees of the Interprovincial Seed Growers Meeting prepare to attend Question Period.Photo: Marc ZienkiewiczJANUARY 2026SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA 9'