Education: Attended school in Delisle, Saskatchewan until 1967. The family then moved to the Rosetown, Saskatchewan area, where Gerry completed his high school and graduated from St. Joseph's Separate School in 1969.

Personal: Married Judy Fleury in 1975. They have two adult children. Gerry and Judy currently divide their time between the Battlefords, Lloydminster and Ottawa.

Career: Gerry entered the work force right after high school and worked in sales for a few years. In the mid-1970's he went back to the family farm, concentrating primarily on grain farming and diversifying into raising ostrich in the 1990's. He farmed until his election to Parliament when he contracted out his farming operation. He owned and operated a general contracting business during those years to help pay for his farming habit.

He and his wife co-owned a weekly newspaper from 1986 to 1995.

Gerry became interested in politics in 1989 and held various positions on the local constituency Board for the Reform Party. He was campaign manager for Elwin Hermanson during the 1993 election, and continued on as Constituency Co-ordinator for Elwin Hermanson, MP for the Kindersley-Lloydminster Riding from the 1993 election to his own election to Parliament on June 2, 1997.

The Honourable Gerry Ritz, P.C., M.P., has served the Battlefords-Lloydminster riding since being elected to the House of Commons in 1997. He was re-elected in 2000 and 2004.

As a parliamentarian, Mr. Ritz was appointed Jan. 4, 2007 to the Canadian Cabinet as Secretary of State for Small Buisiness and Tourism.  During the 39th paliament he served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and in the past as Agriculture critic, Public Works and Government Operations critic and Question Period co-ordinator.

Hobbies and Interests: Gerry was actively involved in the Rosetown community, serving on the Economic Development Committee, Knights of Columbus, coaching minor Hockey. He loves the outdoors -- sports, hunting, fishing, and especially raising horses.