John van Dongen was reappointed April 3 to his post as British Columbia minister of agriculture, food and fisheries.
He had been temporarily removed from cabinet in January over his handling of an aquaculture file in 2001.
The former Abbotsford dairy farmer stepped down when he released information to the head of a fish farming company that was under investigation by the ministry.
A special prosecutor appointed in January recommended no criminal charges be laid against van Dongen.
Problems aren’t over for the family, however. On April 9 the Langley SPCA seized 108 animals from van Dongen’s father’s farm.
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SPCA officers seized 44 horses, 63 dairy cattle and a cat from Quirinus van Dongen, claiming lack of shelter and access to clean water.
Langley RCMP media spokesperson corp. Dale Carr said police arrested the 81-year-old man after he confronted an SPCA officer at the shelter in Aldergrove. Van Dongen was released, but if the crown approves an assault charge, his first court appearance is set for May 30.
Van Dongen told the Times Colonist in Victoria he was angry with SPCA officials when he went to the shelter.
“I screamed at the top of my voice and I was waving my arms,” he said. “I went for her, but she was a whole lot faster than me, because I’m 81 next week. They said I tried to assault her. I tried, but I didn’t make it. I didn’t even touch her.”
