# Ernie Hardeman

Ernie Hardeman MPP (born December 4, 1947) is a Canadian politician who served as Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs from 2018 to 2021 in the Doug Ford government and as Minister of Agriculture and Food from 1999 to 2001 in the Mike Harris government. He represents the rural riding of Oxford for the Progressive Conservative Party. Upon his re-election in 2025, with the retirement of Ted Arnott, he became the longest serving member of Ontario Provincial Parliament

## Background

Hardeman was the owner and operator of Hardeman Feed Limited, established in Salford, Ontario, from 1966 to 1995. Hardeman's nephew, John Vanthof, is a current sitting MPP for the New Democratic Party and behind his uncle in the legislature.

## Politics

He served as mayor of the Township of Southwest Oxford from 1988 to 1994. He was chair of the Wardens' Association of Ontario in 1990–91, and served as a board member on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
Hardeman was elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1995, defeating incumbent New Democrat Kimble Sutherland by about 8000 votes. The Progressive Conservatives under Mike Harris won the election, and Hardeman was a government backbench supporter for the next four years. In 1996, he was commissioned by the government to conduct a survey on the possible amalgamation of Hamilton, Ontario into a united municipality.
He was easily re-elected in the 1999 provincial election. He was appointed to cabinet by Mike Harris as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on June 17, 1999. As Minister, he replaced agricultural offices with the Agricultural Information Contact Centre. He was removed from cabinet on February 7, 2001. On February 25, 2003, he returned to cabinet under Ernie Eves in the new position of Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, with Responsibility for Rural Affairs.
Hardeman was re-elected in the 2003 election. He supported Jim Flaherty's unsuccessful bid for the Progressive Conservative party's leadership in 2004. On June 13, 2005, Hardeman's private members bill, Farm Implements Amendment Act, received third reading and royal assent.
In 2007 Hardeman was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term. He served as Deputy House Leader and was then promoted to Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies. He is also the PC critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
On June 16, 2008, Hardeman introduced a private member's bill which allows farmers to post seasonal, directional signage along provincial highways to advertise their Ontario grown produce and direct consumers to the farm. The bill was supported by many agricultural groups and unanimously passed first, second and third reading. On December 10, 2008, Signage to Promote Ontario Produced Agricultural Products Act received royal assent and became law.

### Electoral record

vte2022 Ontario general election: Oxford :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ernie Hardeman | 22,166 | 50.01 | −5.72 | $47,286 |
| | New Democratic | Lindsay Wilson | 9,504 | 21.44 | −8.98 | $37,217 |
| | Liberal | Mary Holmes | 5,457 | 12.31 | +5.39 | $23,863 |
| | Ontario Party | Karl Toews | 3,579 | 8.08 | +7.22 | $39,947 |
| | Green | Cheryle Rose Baker | 2,097 | 4.73 | +0.42 | $570 |
| | New Blue | Connie Oldenburger | 1,518 | 3.43 | | $7,700 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 44,321 | 99.46 | +0.91 | $134,298 |
| Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots | 240 | 0.54 | -0.91 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,561 | 46.45 | -12.8 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 94,368 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +1.63 |
| Source(s) "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023."Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 21 May 2023. |||||||
2018 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ernie Hardeman | 29,152 | 55.73 | +9.49 |
| | New Democratic | Tara King | 15,917 | 30.43 | +4.66 |
| | Liberal | James Howard | 3,620 | 6.92 | -14.41 |
| | Green | Albert De Jong | 2,254 | 4.31 | -0.53 |
| | Ontario Party | Robert Van Ryswyck | 447 | 0.85 | |
| | Libertarian | Chris Swift | 370 | 0.71 | -0.18 |
| | Independent | David Sikal | 335 | 0.64 | |
| | Freedom | Tim Hodges | 216 | 0.41 | -0.53 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 52,311 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 60.20 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 86,877 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +2.42 |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||

### Cabinet positions

Ontario provincial government of Doug Ford :
| Cabinet post (1) |||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Jeff Leal | Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs June 29, 2018–2021 | Lisa Thompson |
| Ontario provincial government of Ernie Eves |||
| Cabinet post (1) |||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Brian Coburn | Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing 2003 (February–October) Also Responsible for Rural Affairs | Position eliminated |
| Ontario provincial government of Mike Harris |||
| Cabinet post (1) |||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Noble Villeneuve | Minister of Agriculture and Food 1999-2001 Fired the first time from this position. | Brian Coburn |