Barry Wilson, Ottawa correspondent for the Western Producer
for 34 years, is planning to retire this month.
He grew up on a farm at Pontiac, Que., north of Ottawa, is a
graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa, a United Church minister and
marathon runner.
He has been a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery
since 1980, covering agriculture and wheat board ministers as diverse as Eugene
Whelan, John Wise, Otto Lang, Ralph Ferguson, Don Mazankowski, Bill McKnight,
Charlie Mayer, Ralph Goodale, Lyle Vanclief, Bob Speller, Andy Mitchell, Chuck
Strahl and now Gerry Ritz.
He also traveled to meetings of the World Trade Organization
and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and went to report on a drought
in Africa.
He was inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame.
As far as I know, he turned in a spotless record for credibility and integrity.
