Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers promoted Midland's butter tart event in the House of Commons this week. / Screenshot
Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers might just get a free butter tart or two after championing Midland’s butter tart event.
In the House of Commons Friday, Chambers regaled his fellow MPs with a rousing homage to the ooey-gooey pastry.
“The legend of the butter tart can be traced back to Québec in the late 1600s,” Chambers said in the House. “But the first documented recipe came in Simcoe County in Barrie in 1900.”
And while some might prefer its sumptuous Québecois cousin la tarte au sucre, Chambers is obviously a big fan of this relatively inexpensive and easy-to-make Canadian staple.
After addressing the dessert's origins, Chambers' talk quickly forwarded to the present day as he delighted in telling his colleagues about how Midland will go all out Saturday to celebrate the butter tart.
“The butter tart is truly a national treasure and this Saturday in Midland, we will celebrate these little sugar pies as tens of thousands will descend downtown in search of the perfect tart," Chambers said.
"They come in every shape, size, taste and colour. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to butter tarts, you might say diversity is our strength."
Ontario's Best Butter Tart Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Throughout the day, the downtown core will feature a variety of activities, live music and, of course, the chance to sample and purchase a bevy of butter-tart varieties.
Chambers encouraged anyone attending to come early and bring a cooler for their butter-tart haul.
"We will start with 200,000 butter tarts and by the end of the day not one will be left standing. This Saturday, come join us in Midland to celebrate the butter tart, satisfy your sweet tooth and Mr. Speaker, let’s bring the butter tart home,” said Chambers, who ended his speech by pointing a finger at his fellow MPs before receiving a standing ovation from his caucus colleagues seated nearby.
And just like the butter tart debate about whether it should contain raisins or not, reaction to Chambers' fully baked salute received mixed reactions on his social media page.
"Well done, and well announced Adam very proud of you," Yvette Robitaille-Aube wrote. "Promote that town of Midland and R.(sic) Tarts."
But not everybody was on board with Chambers’ butter-tart enthusiasm.
"Wow, we are in an economic depression greater than the 40s, have a tyrannical PM, crime is out of control, government corruption is off the charts, and your (sic) talking about butter tarts," Bradley Winters replied. "Wow, just wow."
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Andrew Philips ⋅ OrilliaMatters ⋅ Posted June 07, 2024 at 12:15 p.m.
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