Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to honour the life of Raymond Loo, one of Prince Edward Island's pioneering individuals in organic farming.
Raymond and his wife Karen operated Springwillow Farms, a certified organic mixed farming operation producing everything from beef and potatoes to black currants and dandelions.
Mr. Loo was a promoter of the organic movement when it was not popular to be so. He carried his convictions boldly and proudly.
Working in a number of farm organizations, he represented P.E.I. on the Canadian Organic Regulatory Committee, aiding the development of a Canadian organic standard.
A man of ideas, it was his drive and persistence—his stubborn streak, he would say—that put P.E.I. organic products in the Japanese market.
Awarded the Nuffield Scholarship in 2011, he studied the marketing of agriculture products from islands.
As his wife Karen said, “Raymond believed you are only limited by how far you can dream.”
We offer our best wishes to his family and thank them for sharing Raymond with us.