Former federal agriculture minister Bob Speller has died. He was 65.
He was Member of Parliament for the Norfolk-Haldimand area.
From 1998 to 2000 he was parliamentary secretary for international trade and in 2001 chaired the caucus committee Prime Minister Jean Chretien appointed to study opportunities in farming.
After Paul Martin replaced Chretien, Speller became agriculture minister, taking over from Lyle Vanclief.
Soon after, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy turned up in a cow in Alberta, banning beef and cattle exports and crippling the Canadian beef industry.
And in 2004 Speller had to deal with the first outbreak of highly-pathogenic avian influenza in the poultry industry.
Visitation will be Tuesday in Hagersville followed by a burial service in the afternoon.
