Strahl Given Canada's Ag Portfolio

OTTAWA - Feb 6/06 - SNS -- British Columbia MP Chuck Strahl has been given the complete agriculture portfolio under Canada's fledgling Conservative government.

He was named Minister of Agriculture, Minister Responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Most media and industry watchers were expecting to see an individual from rural Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba named Agriculture Minister.

Canada's national news media calls the appointment a surprise because he was not previously involved in agricultural activities. First elected in 1993 from the B.C. lower mainland riding of Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, Strahl has been deputy speaker, party whip and official opposition house leader.

His committee work while an MP included serving as Chair of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Vice-Chair of the Industry Committee, Chair of the Federal Liberal Caucus Task Force on Access to Capital by Small Business; member of the Ministerial Task Force on Disability and Canadians; Chair of the Northern Ontario Caucus; Critic for Democratic Reform, for Northern Economic Development, for Cultural Industries; Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs; and a member of the standing committees on Fisheries and Oceans, on Canadian Heritage, on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and on Natural Resources.