The Hon. Eugene Whelan was a remarkable person who had a heart of gold, thick skin, and a wonderful sense of humour.

Born into a large farming family, he grew up during the great depression. He spoke often about how that influenced him throughout his life. Despite the lean years, he stood out in his community at a very young age.

He won his first election to public office at the age of 21 and never looked back.

After fourteen years in local politics, he was elected to the House of Commons in 1962. Over the course of the next 37 years, he would serve in Cabinet, and the Senate.  His was a colourful legacy of achievement symbolized in his ever present green Stetson.

The hat spoke of his Irish heritage and his pride in being the Minister of Agriculture throughout his entire 12 years in the Cabinets of Pierre Trudeau. He was Trudeau’s longest serving English speaking Minister.  He was one Liberal who could travel and speak extensively in Western Canada at a time when few Liberals were welcome there, and fewer still elected.

He would, of course, reject the description of himself as being English speaking.  He liked to say that he didn’t speak either of Canada’s official languages he only spoke “Whelanese”.

Mr. Whelan’s self-deprecating sense of humour belied the fact that he was extremely well read, had a mind like a steel trap and could always see the big picture.  In other words, the poor boy from Amherstburg was quite a bit sharper than he would ever acknowledge.  Many of his political foes learned that lesson the hard way.

He became the living embodiment of the farming sector in Canada. Many of his achievements are still in place and are credited with helping the sector and our overall economy. Later in life he committed his energy to improving food security for the world.

Like anyone who has achieved what he did, controversy was always close at hand. He thrived on that.   He relished the fight.  

His years as the agriculture minister brought him into contact with Prime Ministers, Premiers, Kings, Queen’s, business leaders, and agricultural leaders from around the world. 

One of those agricultural leaders was the then Soviet Agriculture Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. Mr. Whelan hosted Gorbachev for several days in Canada in the spring of 1983. Gorbachev toured Essex County agricultural facilities and had dinner at the Whelan home in Amherstburg before touring other parts of Canada.

History now documents the impact that visit had on Gorbachev’s thinking. Two years later he would become head of the Soviet Union and bring in reforms that led to the end of the cold war and the break-up of that country.

In spite of all this, Mr. Whelan never lost sight of who he was and where he came from.  He came home when his public career ended and lived in his beloved Amherstburg until he passed away in 2013.

Happy Centennial Birthday Mr. Whelan. Thanks for your enormous contribution to Canada!

Dwight Duncan served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 until 2013. He served as Opposition House Leader and a variety of positions including Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Chair of Management Board/Treasury Board of Cabinet, and Minister of Energy.