Mike Schreiner

Michael John Schreiner{{cite web | url=https://globalnews.ca/news/151852/some-facts-about-ontario-green-party-leader-michael-schreiner/ | title=Some facts about Ontario Green party leader Michael Schreiner | Globalnews.ca }} is an American-born Canadian. He was born on 9 June 1969, in WaKeeney, Kansas, the son of Barbara and Ronald Schreiner (1949–2007).{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/151850/ontario-green-party-leader-mike-schreiner-green-in-more-ways-than-one/|title=Ontario Green party leader Mike Schreiner green in more ways than one - Globalnews.ca|date=7 September 2011|website=Globalnews.ca|access-date=27 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1185639.html|title=Ronald Schreiner|date=17 January 2007|website=McCook Gazette|access-date=27 April 2019}} He grew up on the family grain farm, helping his parents. This is where his interest in food, agriculture and the environment began.

Schreiner earned bachelor's degrees in business administration and history from the University of Kansas in 1992. He earned his master's degree in history from Indiana University Bloomington in 1994.{{cite web|date=14 November 2009|title=Leader - Mike Schreiner | Green Party of Ontario|url=http://www.gpo.ca/about/leader/|access-date=23 May 2012|publisher=Green Party of Ontario|location=Toronto, ON}} While at Indiana University, he met his future wife, Sandy Welsh, later a sociology professor and vice provost at the University of Toronto.{{cite web|title=Communications for Academic Administrators – University of Toronto|url=https://memos.provost.utoronto.ca/|access-date=27 April 2019|website=Memos.provost.utoronto.ca}}

After graduating from Indiana University, Schreiner and his wife moved to Toronto in 1994, and he became a Canadian citizen in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/151852/some-facts-about-ontario-green-party-leader-michael-schreiner/|title=Some facts about Ontario Green party leader Michael Schreiner|date=7 September 2011 |publisher=Global News|language=en|access-date=21 September 2018}} He and his wife Sandy are the parents of two daughters.{{cite web|url=https://gpo.ca/profile/mike-schreiner/ |title=Party leader Schreiner green in more ways than one |publisher=Green Party of Ontario |date=7 July 2018 |access-date=21 September 2018}}

Schreiner has been an entrepreneur and small business owner whose ventures have focused on sustainable food production and the local food movement. His first business was Toronto Organics that specialized in delivering food to consumers.

After moving to the Guelph area, Schreiner continued operating food distribution businesses. One company – WOW Foods – was awarded the Citizens Bank of Canada Ethics in Action Award for socially responsible business and the Toronto Food Policy Council's Local Food Hero Award. He also co-founded Earthdance Organics, a Guelph-based food production business that supplied area health food stores and farmers' markets in the early 2000s.{{cite web|url=https://www.thespec.com/news-story/2085160-party-leader-schreiner-green-in-more-ways-than-one/ |title=Party leader Schreiner green in more ways than one |work=The Hamilton Spectator |publisher=TheSpec |date=7 September 2011 |access-date=4 June 2018}}

In 2005 Schreiner co-founded Local Food Plus, which brought "farmers and consumers together to promote financially, socially and environmentally sustainable local food systems". According to the Green Party of Ontario, he has served as a volunteer with organizations including FarmStart, the Brewer's Plate, the Toronto Food Policy Council and the Green Enterprise Ontario Steering Committee, the Canadian International Peace Project, and Toronto's Campus Community Co-op Day Care Centre.

Schreiner has been actively involved in the Green Party of Ontario (GPO) since 2004. He co-chaired the 2007 election platform committee and served as policy coordinator from 2008 to 2009.{{Cite web|title=PROFILE: Green Leader Mike Schreiner - Ontario Votes 2014 - CBC|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-votes-2014/profile-green-leader-mike-schreiner-1.1078914|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620045828/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-votes-2014/profile-green-leader-mike-schreiner-1.1078914|archive-date=20 June 2016|access-date=21 September 2018}} On 14 November 2009, Schreiner won the Ontario Green Party leadership election, having been acclaimed. According to the GPO, "Under Mike’s leadership the GPO has experienced substantial growth in its voters, fundraising, staff, volunteers and media exposure". Between 2009 and 2014 for example, fundraising increased from $50,000 to $500,000, all from individuals.{{cite web|title=Mike Schreiner says Green Party has to prove it can win - The Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/09/19/mike_schreiner_says_green_party_has_to_prove_it_can_win.html|access-date=27 April 2019|website=Thestar.com|date=19 September 2014 }} Those achievements did not translate into success in terms of getting a seat until 2018.{{cite web|title=Mike Schreiner, Guelph Green Party of Ontario|url=https://gpo.ca/candidate/mike-schreiner/|access-date=27 April 2019|website=Gpo.ca}}

Despite not holding a seat in the legislature at that time, Schreiner lobbied in favour of the price on carbon, protecting pollinators with a ban on neonicotinoids, and funding for the Experimental Lakes Area.

Schreiner first ran as a candidate for the GPO in the Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock by-election in March 2009, losing to Rick Johnson.

In the 2011 election, Schreiner ran as a candidate for Simcoe—Grey, finishing fourth behind Progressive Conservative incumbent Jim Wilson.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/elections/ontariovotes2014/ridings/view/riding-085 |title=Simcoe - Grey - Ontario Votes 2014 - CBC News |access-date=21 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140615153407/http://www.cbc.ca/elections/ontariovotes2014/ridings/view/riding-085 |archive-date=15 June 2014 |url-status=dead}}

Schreiner was nominated as the party's candidate for Guelph in the 2014 Ontario general election, where he finished third behind winner Liz Sandals of the Ontario Liberal Party, garnering over 19% of the vote.

In May 2018, the Toronto Star editorial board endorsed him as the best candidate in Guelph and said that he was "the most forthright leader in the campaign for the 7 June Ontario election".{{cite news|title=Guelph voters should consider making history and sending the Greens' Mike Schreiner to Queen's Park|date=21 May 2018|newspaper=Toronto Star}} He was also endorsed by the Guelph Mercury's editorial board in an op-ed, "Mike Schreiner is the candidate most worthy of representing Guelph provincially", citing ten reasons to vote for Schreiner.{{cite news|url=https://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/8631178-is-guelph-going-green-/|title=Is Guelph Going Green?|date=25 May 2018|newspaper=Guelph Mercury|access-date=21 September 2018}}

Schreiner's campaign proved successful in a four-party race, becoming the first ever Green MPP in Ontario history.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/07/green-party-leader-mike-schreiner-makes-history-with-victory-in-guelph.html|title=Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner makes history with victory in Guelph|last=Kalinowski|first=Tess|date=7 June 2018|access-date=8 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608031200/https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/07/green-party-leader-mike-schreiner-makes-history-with-victory-in-guelph.html|archive-date=8 June 2018}} He captured 45 per cent of the vote in the Guelph riding, more than doubling the previous percentage and nearly tripling the actual number of voters for him.

Schreiner's platform for the Green Party of Ontario included the following, as summarized by the Toronto Star.{{cite news|title='I'm so passionate about Ontario embracing a new economy': Green party Leader Mike Schreiner|newspaper=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/05/15/live-at-noon-q-and-a-with-green-party-leader-mike-schreiner.html|access-date=27 April 2019}}

• Implement more programs to help homeowners with green retrofits to save energy
• Offer universal dental care and pharmacare
• Set a date to phase out internal combustion engines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Introduce carbon pricing to discourage use of greenhouse gas-producing goods and services, with revenues returned to Ontarians as dividends
• Focus health system more on illness prevention

Schreiner expanded on the platform with this comment: "I am fighting for a livable future for my children, I am fighting to tackle climate change and address income inequality, social justice issues and improving our democracy".{{cite web|title=Mike Schreiner is hoping for Guelph's Green moment - The Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/02/mike-schreiner-is-hoping-for-guelphs-green-moment.html|access-date=27 April 2019|website=Thestar.com|date=2 June 2018 }} During an interview in May 2018 he added that the Party proposed cutting payroll taxes for some small businesses to be made up for with an increased tax rate on larger businesses.{{cite web|last=Seto|first=Chris|date=18 May 2018|title=Green party aims to cut payroll taxes for qualifying small businesses|url=https://www.guelphmercury.com/news-story/8618619-green-party-aims-to-cut-payroll-taxes-for-qualifying-small-businesses/|access-date=27 April 2019|website=GuelphMercury.com}} Just prior to the election, he told the CBC that he hopes to see Ontario moving to 100 per cent renewable energy and was in favour of closing the nuclear power plant at Pickering. He also favoured adding mental health coverage into the Ontario Health Insurance Plan and a basic income program.{{cite web|date=6 June 2018|title=Green Leader Mike Schreiner 'cautiously optimistic' he'll win in Guelph|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/green-party-mike-schreiner-election-guelph-win-in-reach-1.4694216|access-date=21 September 2018|publisher=CBC|language=en}}

Despite efforts to convince them otherwise, Schreiner was excluded from televised leaders debates, a move the Toronto Star billed as "unfair". The publication's Ontario Politics Commentator made this comment: "This isn't the first time they have conspired to exclude the Greens, but this time the exclusion is more egregious than ever".{{cite news|date=2 May 2018|title=Why are the Greens barred from Ontario's TV debates?|newspaper=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/05/02/why-are-the-greens-barred-from-ontarios-tv-debates.html|access-date=21 September 2018}}

Following his win in the 2018 election, Schreiner was sworn into the Ontario Legislature on 5 July. Although he had been viewed by many as primarily a "green" candidate Schreiner said that his goal would be broader. "I'm going to do politics differently. I campaigned on a promise to create jobs, put people and planet first. I’m going to keep fighting for that."{{cite news|date=5 July 2018|title=Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner sworn in as Ontario legislator|language=en|newspaper=National Post|url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/green-party-leader-mike-schreiner-sworn-in-as-ontario-legislator|access-date=21 September 2018}}

During the first three months of the 42nd Parliament, he was a frequent critic of Premier Doug Ford.{{cite news|date=20 September 2018|title=Ontario government moves to scrap Green Energy Act|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-government-moves-to-scrap-green-energy-act-2/|access-date=21 September 2018}}{{cite web|date=20 September 2018|title=Ford says 'Guelph' turned down glass plant. But it was never destined for that city|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/guelph-eramosa-glass-plant-premier-ford-jobs-xinyi-1.4831653|access-date=21 September 2018}}{{cite web|date=20 September 2018|title=Ontario government moves to scrap Green Energy Act|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/guelph-eramosa-glass-plant-premier-ford-jobs-xinyi-1.4831653|access-date=21 September 2018}} As a party leader, Schreiner has been extensively quoted by the news media on issues such as the government's decisions to cancel the province's cap-and-trade legislation, scrapping the green energy programs and rebates, on the tactics used by Ford to reduce the size of Toronto City Council and on the provincial plan to allow marijuana smoking in numerous locations.{{cite news|date=27 September 2018|title=Ontario could see up to 1,000 private pot shops after cannabis legalization|url=http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/canada/ontario-could-see-up-to-1000-private-pot-shops-after-cannabis-legalization-245113/|url-status=dead|access-date=28 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928045324/http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/canada/ontario-could-see-up-to-1000-private-pot-shops-after-cannabis-legalization-245113/|archive-date=28 September 2018}}

He was re-elected in the 2022 Ontario general election.{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Lucas |date=3 June 2022 |title=Ontario's Progressive Conservatives sail to 2nd majority, NDP and Liberal leaders say they will resign |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-2022-results-ford-horwath-del-duca-1.6473595 |website=CBC News}} In 2023, Aislinn Clancy became the second elected provincial Green in Ontario and joined Schreiner in Parliament. She was appointed deputy leader before her election.{{cite web |title=Greens win MPP seat in Kitchener Centre |url=https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/greens-win-mpp-seat-in-kitchener-centre-1.6666957 |publisher=CTV News |access-date=December 1, 2023 |date=November 30, 2023 }}

He kept his seat in Guelph in the 2025 Ontario general election, along with Aislinn Clancy

Schreiner lives with his wife Sandy and their two daughters in Toronto and in Guelph.

During 2012 to 2017, he was a contributor to HuffPost Canada, on topics such as water protection, healthy food systems, recycling, climate change, clean tech, transit, energy and carbon pricing.{{cite web|url=https://www.greenpac.ca/mike_schreiner_endorsed_moneybomb|title=Party: Green,Riding: Guelph,City: Guelph,Province: Ontario|website=Greenpac.ca|access-date=27 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/mike-schreiner/|title=Mike Schreiner|website=HuffPost Canada|access-date=27 April 2019}}

Schreiner served on the steering committee for Green Enterprise Toronto, an association of over 350 small businesses, and on the Board of Directors of FarmStart, a non-profit that assists new farmers in Ontario, and he is a governor of the Canadian International Peace Project. He is a Rotarian and volunteer on many Guelph initiatives including Hillside Music Festival, Guelph Jazz Festival, Guelph Community Clean up, Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation, and Democracy Guelph.

{{2025 Ontario general election/Guelph}}

{{2022 Ontario general election/Guelph}}

{{2018 Ontario general election/Guelph}}

{{CANelec/top|ON|2014|Guelph (provincial electoral district)|Guelph|percent=yes|change=yes}}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Liz Sandals|21,949|41.33|+18.84}}

{{CANelec|ON|PC|Anthony MacDonald|11,179|21.05|−33.54}}

{{CANelec|ON|Green|Mike Schreiner|10,181|19.17|+10.41}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP|James Gordon|9,392|17.68|+3.22}}

{{CANelec|ON|Communist|Juanita Burnett|236|0.44|+0.44}}

{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Blair Smythe|168|0.31|+0.31}}

{{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Ontario{{cite web|url=http://www.wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=027|title=027, Guelph|author=Elections Ontario|date=2014|access-date=16 June 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617105400/http://wemakevotingeasy.ca/en/general-election-district-results.aspx?d=027|archive-date=17 June 2014}}}}

{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|ON|2011|Simcoe—Grey (provincial electoral district)|Simcoe—Grey|percent=yes|change=yes}}

{{CANelec|ON|PC|Jim Wilson|25,396|54.49 |13.42 }}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Donna Kenwell | 10,386 |22.49|−21.24}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP|David Matthews|6,738 | 14.46|+8.48}}

{{CANelec|ON|Green|Mike Schreiner |4,084 |8.76|+2.12}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| |100.0 | |}}

{{end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock by-election, 5 March 2009
resignation of Laurie Scott}}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Rick Johnson|15,482|43.73|+14.22}}

{{CANelec|ON|Progressive Conservatives|John Tory|14,576|41.17|−8.73}}

{{CANelec |ON |Green |Mike Schreiner |2,352 |6.64 |−0.56}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Lyn Edwards|2,117|5.98|−5.92}}

{{CANelec|ON|Independent|Jason Taylor|320|0.90| }}

{{CANelec|ON|FCP|Jake Pothaar|258|0.73|−0.07}}

{{CANelec|ON|Freedom|Bill Denby|140|0.40|−0.4 }}

{{CANelec|ON|Independent|John Turmel|92|0.26| }}

{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Paolo Fabrizio|71|0.20| }}

{{end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://mikeschreinermpp.ca/}}
• {{Ontario MPP biography2|Mike-Schreiner}}

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Category:1969 births

Category:American emigrants to Canada

Category:Canadian political consultants

Category:Green Party of Ontario MPPs

Category:Indiana University Bloomington alumni

Category:Leaders of the Green Party of Ontario

Category:Living people

Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada

Category:People from Guelph

Category:People from WaKeeney, Kansas

Category:University of Kansas alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario