It was one more award than the MPP bargained for.

Bob Bailey went to hand out awards at the annual general meeting of the Inn of The Good Shepherd to help hand out long-standing service medals.

But after his work was done, Myles Vanni, the Inn’s Executive Director, and the Chair of the Board, Alex Palimaka, called the Sarnia-Lambton MPP up to present a special award. The provincial award recognized Bailey as the driver behind a new food tax credit for farmers who give items to their local food banks. It was recently made into law by the province.

The award gives recognition to Bailey in part for his “unwavering support of local food banks and local farmers…in securing a much needed tax cut for farmers.”

“I guess they were supposed to give it to me two weeks before in St. Catherines (at the food bank associations’ provincial meeting) but it was mid-election and they thought I might be busy.” Bailey admits to being stunned by the award and barely able to come up with words of thanks. “It was humbling in the presence of the people who spent 15 years, 20 years there feeding people,” Bailey told The Independent. “I was just glad to be in a position to do it and advance the idea.”

Since the bill passed, Bailey has talked to a number of different provinces which are considering something similar as well as state governments in the United States.

“The people at the food bank tell me it has already made a big difference…(because) there is more awareness, so there are more donations than they would have had.”