Ontario farmer's viral letter leads to meeting with Wynne

Jan 19, 2017

After writing a concerned social media post, Libby Keenan is feeling “optimistic” about hydro rate relief

After a social media post on hydro rates went viral, an Ontario Farmer recently found herself in a meeting with Ontario’s premier Kathleen Wynne.

Libby Keenan owns a horse farm in Amherstburg, and recently voiced her concerns over high hydro rates on Facebook, in a Jan. 5 post.

“I work hard, seven days a week actually, I live exceptionally frugally, I have spent 30 years paying off a mortgage on a beautiful farm I can barely afford to keep,” wrote Keenan in her post. “My heating and hydro costs are much higher cost per month than my mortgage was.”

On top of hydro rates, Keenan is concerned with other issues such as tax increases, decreasing quality of health care, and sparse job opportunities, according to her post.

“I do my own nails, cut my own hair, have never been inside a spa, recycle, buy clothes at Value Village, consolidate errands to save gas, and cannot even imagine affording retirement,” she wrote.

Wynne reacted to the post, and met with Keenan to address her concerns in person on Jan. 18, according to a Global News article.

Libby Keenan in the photo that accompanied her posting on hydro rates. Source: Libby Keenan, Facebook

In the meeting that was partially available to media, Keenan specifically addressed increased hydro delivery charges, as well as Hyrdo One's chief executive officer's four million dollar salary.

“Do we not have any ability to say, ‘I don’t care who you are, I don’t care if you’re the pope, you don’t deserve four million dollars a year?”‘ Keenan said in the meeting, according to Global. “He’s not working as hard as I am. Send him to me for a week and I’ll show him.”

Keenan said producers could see a difference in their hydro bills sooner than later

“Ontario farmers can expect in short order, substantial relief in delivery charges on their Hydro One bills,” she told Farms.com in an interview.

Keenan also told Global News after the meeting that she was optimistic.

This process did not require marching up and down protesting, “this has been the most polite revolution I have seen in my life,” she told Global News. “I was not being patted on the hand and being told, ‘Too bad for you.’

"Have we made progress here today? Absolutely.”

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.