Be the Change You Want to See

What I learned from my conversation with Jake Ayre.

For many of us, ideas of noble intention that could change the world are a dime a dozen.

Yet few of us take the plunge to engage in a meaningful way to actually implement them into society via the halls of power in our country.

That’s what makes this particular young man stand out.

He is Jake Ayre, 24, Vice President of the Keystone Agricultural Producers, from the farm in Minto, Manitoba.

Jake sees it as his mission as a ginger to speak out similar to William Wallace in Braveheart, though he does not aspire to become Mel Gibson himself (an important distinction).

“My parents always encouraged me. They said: be the change that you want to see if you’ve got an opinion.

If you’ve got a thought, if you’ve got something you want to do, do it.

Especially when it comes to policy, if you don’t say something, then ten, fifteen, twenty years down the line when that policy becomes law and it’s legislated, you’ve lost your opportunity, you’ve lost your window.

So I’ve always had that mindset.”

Jake ascribes to the old adage of being able to debate both sides of an argument to be truly proficient in his persuasion.

“Plan out what you’re going to say.

Do your research first, educate yourself.

I’m always challenging myself to learn about a subject I don’t understand, or further my knowledge.

I like to read, to try and find both sides before I myself form my opinion on something.”

Jake says the first step in making a difference is a simple one.

“The big thing is get involved, whether it’s with a farm group, whether it’s 4-H, whether it’s your town council, whatever the medium is.

Just get yourself involved.

Try something new, push yourself.

If you go into those environments, you’re going to get an opportunity one way or another, right?

So I’d say that’s the first step is to get involved, because you never know what opportunities are going to arise.”

Jake recently spoke to Ottawa about how to improve Agri-Stability, especially in light of the 2019 harvest from hell on the prairies.

You can be inspired by hearing more of Jake’s efforts on the Growing the Future Podcast.