Former federal agriculture minister John Wise has died at age 77.
Wise represented the Ontario riding of Elgin as a Progressive Conservative member from 1972 until his retirement in 1988. He was agriculture minister in the Joe Clark cabinet from 1979 to 1980 and again in the Brian Mulroney government from 1984 to 1988.
The fifth-generation dairy farmer also served in municipal politics and several farm organizations prior to his federal involvement. He was the founding president of Soil Conservation Canada.
Wise considered the establishment of new research centres among his main achievements as minister.
Current agriculture minister Gerry Ritz paid tribute to Wise, saying he was instrumental in developing the Canada-U.S. trade agreement from an agriculture perspective. He noted Wise also worked to lay the foundation for a strong Canadian wine industry by establishing transition assistance for grape growers.
“John was a capable and realistic minister with a knowledge of agriculture from the ground up,” Ritz said in a statement.
The funeral is scheduled for Jan. 14 in St. Thomas, Ont.
