Your #onpoli gift guide
And who's afraid of Bonnie Crombie?
ABOVE THE FOLD
‘TIS THE SEASON — The Countdown to Christmas is on, and there’s plenty of provincially-themed presents for the naughty and nice politicos on your list.
Here’s what I’m getting, gifting, or asking for (including some favourites from last year’s haul):
— For the nostalgic baker: An edible Ontario Place in gingerbread form, with this iconic Cinesphere kit from The Change Bakers.
— For the history-loving tippler: Slate coasters made from the same tiles as the roof of the Legislative building, available in the main lobby’s gift shop. (Full disclosure: Santa brought me a set one year, and they’re wonderful.)
— For the vino lover: Put those coasters to good use with the Legislature’s wine picks for 2024. A pair of Niagara vintners came out on top at the Speaker’s annual taste test: Vineland’s King and Victoria Winery’s 2020 Cabernet was selected as the official red, while the 2021 Chardonnay from Beamsville’s Watchful Eye Winery is the official white.
— For the local-minded chef, a cookbook featuring Ontario produce: Peak Season: 12 Months of Recipes Celebrating Ontario’s Freshest Ingredients by DEIRDRE BURYK.
— For the ministerial fan club, some partisan swag: Nothing screams stocking stuffer like a fresh set of socks plastered with Infrastructure Minister KINGA SURMA’s face.
— For the outdoorsy type: Give back to provincial parks and look good doing it. Ontario Parks has a bunch of fresh vintage merch on offer, ditto ornaments, scarves, mugs, sweaters, toques, candles and more — and since it’s the season of giving, the proceeds go towards protecting parkland and local inhabitants like turtles.
— For the other “green” lovers in your life: The Ontario Cannabis Store is touting “stocking puffers” for a “lit holiday”, featuring a pre-roll advent calendar, “mistlestoned” oat milk creamers, and THC-infused candy cane chocolates.
— For the indoor crowd that wants to curl up with a good book: Any of the finalists from Speaker TED ARNOTT’s annual book award. This year’s winner: Harvesting Freedom: The Life of a Migrant Worker in Canada, by GABRIEL ALLAHDUA with EDWARD DUNSWORTH. Full shortlist.
— For the bookish Tory: A must-read on former Conservative premier MIKE HARRIS’s Common Sense Revolution, The Harris Legacy: Reflections on a Transformational Premier, featuring words and war stories from heavyweight politicos such as ALISTER CAMPBELL, DAVID FRUM, TERENCE CORCORAN, WILL FALK, SEAN SPEER, GINNY ROTH, HOWARD LEVITT, WILL STEWART, GORDON MILLER, GUY GIORNO, HUGH SEGAL, DAVID HERLE, JAIME WATT and more. Get our sneak peek.
— For the environmental activist: Make like Ottawa and pitch in for Ontario’s 50 million tree-planting program by gifting a tree in your favourite activists’ name.
— For the savvy Queen’s Park watcher: I like to think I saved the best for last. A full-access pass to Queen’s Park Observer is the gift that keeps on giving all year! Don’t let your friends sleep on a subscription to the Legislature’s most-read newsletter, trusted by the province’s top decision-makers…