Nick Parsons rumbled into downtown Ottawa early March 20, ending his cross-Canada combine trek and almost immediately stirred up some political cross-winds.
The 52-year-old Dawson Creek, B.C., farmer was met on Parliament Hill by a bevy of MPs, including Reform leader Preston Manning.
His combine Prairie Belle, parked at the foot of Parliament Hill, quickly became a tourist attraction.
Then, it was off to agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief’s office and while he emerged praising the agriculture minister for listening, he insisted he would not leave town until he had met prime minister Jean ChrŽtien, whose office had refused a meeting.
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“It will be a battle of wits between us to see who is the strongest man,” Parsons said in an interview. “I think I will prove to be. I’m stubborn.”
Within an hour, Liberal MPs Wayne Easter and Susan Whelan had arranged for Parsons to visit ChrŽtien at his 24 Sussex Drive residence that evening.
It was a fast-paced, tumultuous end to his Canadian odyssey, which began Feb. 1 in Dawson Creek when he was inspired during a public meeting on the farm crisis organized by local Reform MP Jay Hill.
For the next seven weeks, Parsons drove across Canada, drawing the curious, police escorts, intense media attention and well-wishes from thousands of Canadians.
His orchestrated drive into Ottawa launched a traumatic day for the quiet-spoken farmer who emigrated from England 11 years ago to buy a 1,250 acre farm in B.C. Although the trip was designed to attract attention to the income crisis facing grain farmers, Parsons said he is uncomfortable with the intense media attention he drew.
“I wasn’t looking forward to today but it has turned out better than I expected,” he said in an interview before he heard about the meeting with ChrŽtien.
Parsons said he never doubted he would make Parliament Hill, even though he had some trouble convincing police in Toronto to let him park the Massey-Ferguson combine downtown overnight.
“At night, my spirits sometimes would dip when I was drained but never in the day,” he said. “People were so supportive.”
The $10,000 cost of the trip was paid for by donations along the way. It will cost $5,000 more to ship his combine home again.
While in Ottawa, he stayed with a farm family on the outskirts of the city. He was allowed to bring the combine to Parliament Hill but ordered by the RCMP to move it overnight.
Parsons had vowed to bring it back to Parliament Hill until he was able to meet with the prime minister.
In Ottawa, his appearance and the related media attention attracted others.
Members of the Saskatchewan Rally group, including former hunger striker Lillian Kurtz, came to town to show support and to share in the spotlight.
As well, MPs from the Liberal, New Democrat and Conservative parties were invited to speak at his Parliament Hill welcoming rally.
