Minister responsible for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

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Gerry Ritz was was first elected to Canada's Parliament representing the riding of Battlefords-Lloydminster in 1997. He was re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He was named Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism in January 2007 and was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board in August 2007. He also serves as the Regional Minister for Saskatchewan.

Minister Ritz knows agriculture and the province of Saskatchewan as he ran his own farming operation, owned and operated a general contracting business, and co-owned a weekly newspaper. Minister Ritz also has a long history of community involvement including work with economic development organizations and coaching. He and his wife Judy live at Brightsand Lake in western Saskatchewan. They have two children and three grandchildren.

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The Minister can be contacted by:

• E-mail
• Mail (postage free):
  
  Honourable Gerry Ritz
  Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
  1341 Baseline Road
  Ottawa, Ontario
  K1A 0C5