It’s an honour to stand in this place and pay tribute to James “Jim” Ivan Pollock, who served in this Legislature as the member for Hastings–Peterborough from 1981 to 1990.

I would first like to thank his family for sharing him with the people of Ontario. We all know that it’s not just the person standing in the Legislature, it’s the family supporting him, especially coming from a farm.

It’s a privilege to be able to pay tribute and to research the lives of people who served here before and, in many cases, find common connections. Jim Pollock was a dairy farmer for the biggest part of his life, a profession that I also shared for 35 years. We have both seen many of the same sunrises and worked past many sunsets. Farmers are typically jacks of all trades and deal with whatever comes their way. A dairy farmer is always on call, a trait shared by people in public life, a trait that Jim shared with others not only as MPP but before that as reeve of Rawdon township and warden of Hastings county.

Jim married the love of his life, Jean, and took over the family farm when he was 23. That struck a chord with me too. My wife and I got married and bought the farm when I was 23, and I can relate to the struggles that they must have had in those years, and the joy. Because there’s nothing like raising kids on a family farm, and you only know that if you grew up on one.

During his provincial political career, he served as deputy whip and agriculture critic, among other duties—both roles that I have filled for my party. And I can tell you one thing: that farmers and party whips are eternal optimists.

As I was doing my research, I came upon a tweet from the Minister of Energy expressing his condolences on Jim’s passing. One of the comments mentioned something about Jim’s opposition to a mega landfill project in his area. That sparked my interest. A Conservative dairy farmer opposed to the creation of a mega landfill in his area: That really warmed my heart. I have some history with that. In fact, I found a statement from MPP Pollock on a resolution regarding the shipment of solid waste: “I just want to make a few comments on this resolution. I agree with the environment critic for our party when she says we can agree with the first part.... However, I do not particularly agree with the last line ... where they do not want it in northern Ontario. I can assure members we do not want it in eastern Ontario either. I do not know about western Ontario. Western Ontario can speak for itself. Anyway, we certainly do not want it in eastern Ontario.” That was spoken like a farmer: plain, direct, no-nonsense, but respectful of others and their opinions.

I never had the opportunity to meet Jim Pollock, but I wish I could have. I’m willing to bet that a handshake meant something to Jim Pollock.

Standing in this House is a privilege, especially for a farmer. It’s a special feeling for a farmer, one that I share with James Pollock. In his honour, I would like to share a few feelings that only a farmer can know: soil crumbling in your hand when it’s ready to plant; a beautiful summer day, a slight breeze, with the baler chugging bale after bale of perfect hay, hay that will still smell like summer when it’s fed months later; a late night calving a cow and the calf isn’t breathing—I don’t know how Jim did it, but this is how I do it. You usually tickle their nose with a piece of straw to start them to breathe, but if they don’t, you grab them and you swing them. And if that doesn’t work and you’re desperate, you hang them over a gate and pull really hard. When they gasp for air—and they don’t always do it, but when they gasp for air, that is one of the greatest feelings in the world. It was those feelings that Jim Pollock brought to this Legislature.

In closing, once again I would like to thank his family for sacrificing themselves to allow him to come here. Every farmer I know wants to leave the farm a little bit better than they found it. Because of his family, Jim had the opportunity to not only leave the farm better, but his riding better and the province better. On all our behalf, thank you very much.

I’m honoured to rise today to pay tribute to a fellow member from eastern Ontario, the former member for Hastings–Peterborough, James Pollock. James—or Jim, as he was often referred to—passed away on October 28, 2021, at the age of 91. He is survived by his wife, Jean; his four children, Virginia, Lyle, Kevin and Heather; his two grandchildren; and is remembered by his beloved sisters, Patricia and Doris. I want to thank his family and Mr. Warner for being here today.

Born in Stirling, Ontario, about 20 kilometres north of Belleville, Jim grew up on his family dairy farm. At the age of 23, he took over the farm with his wife, Jean Wallace, and ran the farm until 2019, when he was 89 years old. An experienced farmer, Jim farmed dairy, beef and then cash crops.

He always had a sense of optimism. As a polio survivor, he often said that he was one of the lucky ones. Jim Pollock never took anything for granted, and he carried that with him throughout his life.

Jim was an active member of his church, the local masonic lodge, the Trent Valley Shriners Club and the Stirling Legion. He serves as a reminder to us that we are all here to work for our communities, big or small; that we are all here to work together to make Ontario a better place.

Jim was also a big fan of the show Jeopardy. He always made time for hosts Art Fleming and Alex Trebek, and in 2008 he got the chance to go to California for three tapings.

Jim had a long life of public service. Before serving in this chamber, he spent 13 years as a member of the Rawdon township council. In 1978, he was the warden of Hastings county and served on Hastings county council until 1981. Then he decided to run for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and went on to serve this House in the 32nd, 33rd and 34th Parliaments. MPP Pollock served on numerous committees and as the critic for natural resources during the David Peterson government. He often travelled around his riding and understood the value of talking to his constituents and how much their views mattered.

On behalf of all of my Ontario Liberal colleagues: Jim, may you rest in peace and thank you for your years of service.

It is my honour today, again, to rise in tribute to the late James “Jim” Pollock. Mr. Pollock served this House on behalf of his constituents in the then riding of Hastings–Peterborough from April 1981 to July 1990. He was successful in three elections, including the very tough swing election of 1987, which only brought 16 PC members to this House—although Pollock actually increased his margin of victory.

Jim Pollock was born and raised on a dairy farm in Stirling, Ontario, which he took over from his parents in 1953, the same year he married his wife, Jean. Together they farmed for 66 years and were married for 68, raising four children: Virginia, Lyle, Kevin and Heather. He had a great sense of humour and optimism, which translated into a strong sense of community and a belief in community service. As was his style, that belief was translated into action through his engagement with his church, the AOTS, Masonic Lodge, Trent Valley Shriners and Stirling Legion. He was a charter member of the Rawdon township volunteer fire department and a member of the local conservation authority.

On top of all that, or perhaps as a result of it, he decided to step into municipal politics, starting with the council of the township of Rawdon for 13 years. During that time, he rose amongst his peers to serve as reeve for six years and eventually sitting as the warden of Hastings county and a member of Hastings county council until 1981.

While he was still actively farming, he turned his attention to provincial politics. He won the Conservative nomination for Hastings–Peterborough, and as I said before, was elected three times to the Ontario Legislature. He always worked to help the small towns and communities in his riding, and he and his wife Jean tried very hard to attend every milestone anniversary and birthday party to bring greetings from the province. Jean was very much an integral part of his team and a strong partner to Jim every step of the way.

Jim has been referred to by many that knew him as a good upstanding man with a strong moral compass and a heart for the people he served. Jim was well-known for working with all government parties, including when he was in opposition. His sole focus was on the issues of his constituents in the riding, and he was not looking to gain favour or power. He was determined to get the job done.

After being re-elected in 1985, Pollock was named the eastern Ontario critic for agriculture, and in 1987 became the party’s natural resources critic. Agricultural issues were very important to him. He raised the issue for his region of the expanding population of deer. It was affecting the apple farmers. He was said to have brought in the damaged branches of some apple trees to this assembly to stress and to demonstrate that concern. He also worked hard to resolve issues around invasive species, specifically the zebra mussels in the Trent canal system.

Following his service in government, he remained active in his community and continued farming for almost another 30 years—although he did switch from dairy to beef and eventually to cash crops—continuing into his late eighties. I didn’t personally have the pleasure of knowing Mr. Pollock, but I do know several who knew him and worked with him, and it appears that Jim had a lasting impression on all those who knew him.

I found this quote from long-time provincial colleague MPP Norm Sterling: “During my 34 years as an MPP in the Legislature, I never met a more sincere, hard-working politician than Jim Pollock. I am proud to say that Jim and I were close friends, often sharing a story or talking about his constituents’ problems. Jim and Jean have given much of their lives to all of us. I will always remember his smile and good deeds to our province. We will miss him very much.”

And from Tom Deline, the current mayor of Centre Hastings and another past warden of Hastings county, when he was asked about his memory just a couple of days ago: “Jim Pollock, in my mind, was a man of the old school where a handshake was your word and you stood by it. He was a true gentleman who worked tirelessly for the municipality within the county of Hastings. Jim attended the wedding of my wife and myself, and we had the pleasure of seeing him at our wardens’ banquets and annual past wardens’ get-togethers which helped maintain those close friendships. His wife, Jean, was his biggest asset and supporter. He will be greatly missed.”

Jim Pollock was a farmer, a father, a volunteer and a public servant. We are grateful for all that he was and all that he gave to his family, to his community and to this province. Speaker, we lost Jim Pollock on October 28, 2021. He will be missed.

Applause.