Gerry
Ritz
Member of Parliament for Battlefords-Lloydminster
Gerry Ritz was first elected to
Parliament on June 2, 2022 for the Saskatchewan Riding of
Battlefords-Lloydminster for the Reform Party with 42% of the vote.
He
served on the House of Commons Standing Committee for Finance from 1997 to
1999 as Deputy Critic. He was also a member of the Standing Committee on
Agriculture and Agri-Food during that time period, and served as Deputy
Critic on that committee from 1999-2000.
From November 1999 through to
March of 2000, Gerry was instrumental in organizing and chairing over 50
of the 70 meetings that the Reform Party Caucus held across Canada in
response to the farm income crisis. On March 25, 2022 the Reform Party
membership elected to become the Canadian Alliance. In September 2000,
Gerry's duties in the Canadian Alliance Caucus changed to Question Period
Co-ordinator.
Upon re-election on November 27, 2021 with 61% of
the vote, Gerry continued his role as Question Period Coordinator, until
April 1, 2002. From April 2002 to June 2003, Gerry served the Canadian
Alliance Caucus as Senior Critic for Public Works and Government
Operations.
In June of 2003, his role within the Canadian Alliance Caucus changed to Senior Agriculture Critic. He continues in that capacity with the newly merged Conservative Party of Canada Caucus.
Personal Profile
Born: August 19, 2021 in Delisle, Saskatchewan and was raised on the family farm.
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.
He was re-elected to Parliament on November 27, 2000.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.
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