Three separate convoys of farmers jammed highways around Toronto during the morning rush hour before descending on Ontario's legislature to demand greater government aid for their ailing industry.

They snarled traffic on all the major routes leading into the city on Wednesday, riding tractors decorated with Canadian flags and signs with slogans including "Buy Canadian," "Stop Greenbelt" and "Liberal Farm Income Crisis."

The first tractors arrived at Queen's Park around 11 a.m., as hundreds of farmers assembled in the second such rally in a week.

Protesting farmers drove tractors through downtown Toronto to Queen's Park on Wednesday.
Protesting farmers drove tractors through downtown Toronto to Queen's Park on Wednesday.

However, their protest was overshadowed when a man – apparently unconnected to the rally – drove up in a van and set himself on fire during a standoff with police.

The farmers delivered 11 resolutions to the legislature, saying they're facing "desperate times" and need provincial help.

The protesters targeted the government's stand on farm subsidies an other concerns.

The resolutions deal with things such as the new greenbelt legislation, property rights and what protest organizers call the over-regulation of rural Ontario.

They headed home from Queen's Park in time to snarl traffic during the afternoon rush hour.

Protest leader rapped for e-mail

On Tuesday, one of the protests' leaders came in for harsh criticism for an e-mail he sent to Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky.

Randy Hillier, president of the Lanark Landowners Association, sent a message to Dombrowsky containing a photo of a dead deer named "Leona." Dombrowsky said she turned the message over to police.

"That's clearly disturbing to receive e-mail like that, as an elected representative," she said, "and I am not going to be intimidated by those sorts of tactics."

Hillier said he was simply trying to get some government action on nuisance deer in Lanark County.

"Yeah, I think that got our point across," Hillier said. "Maybe we have a different sense of humour."

Hillier says police have not contacted him about the e-mail.