“An honest individual and a very good friend.”Those were former Keystone Agricultural Producers president Les Jacobson’s words summing up Harry Enns, the former Progressive Conservative agriculture minister and member of the legislative assembly.Enns died June 24 at the age of 78.Jacobson’s views were common sentiments expressed by people who knew the gruff politician who long dominated agricultural policy debates in Manitoba.”He didn’t always do what you wanted, but you knew why he didn’t. He’d tell you,” said Jacobson.Enns, a cattle producer, was first elected in 1966 and served as the MLA for the rural constituency of Lakeside for 36 years. He was in cabinet and served as agriculture minister under four different Conservative premiers.Many changes came to Manitoba farmers in Enns’ four decades in politics, including the erection of the modern income safety net system, the dismantling of the Crow transportation subsidy systems, the development of crop insurance programs and the growth of the Manitoba hog industry into a major export business.Enns supported the breaking of Manitoba’s hog marketing monopoly, which he argued deterred major processors like Maple Leaf Foods from building new facilities in the province and stopped hog producers from expanding and specializing.While Enns often dismissed ideas he disagreed with, Jacobson said he was never closed minded.”He had his way of dealing with people. He’d always welcome you into his office. He wouldn’t always agree with you. But if you could give him some rationale for what you wanted, he was always willing to listen,” said Jacobson.”He was always open to new ideas and endorsed them.”Jacobson said one of Enns’ best characteristics was his commitment to getting the most for farmers from whatever changes were imposed on them.”You want change to be change for the better, so that’s how he approached it,” said Jacobson.
Former ag minister dies
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