Charlie Mayer, a prominent figure in Canadian agriculture and politics, has passed away at the age of 89. Born in Saskatoon in 1936, Mayer attended the University of Saskatchewan before purchasing a farm in Manitoba in 1965. He grew grain, potatoes, and raised Simmental cattle, becoming active in the Manitoba Beef Growers Association. Mayer played a key role in opposing the introduction of supply management to the beef industry.
Mayer entered politics as a Progressive Conservative, representing the riding of Portage-Marquette (later known as Lisgar-Marquette) from 1979 to 1993. During his tenure, he held several federal roles, including Minister of State for the Canadian Wheat Board, Minister of State for Grains and Oilseeds, Minister of Western Economic Diversification, and in 1993, Minister of Agriculture.
Mayer is remembered by many in the agricultural sector as a dedicated individual who had the best interests of producers and the country at heart. Gunther Jochum, President of the Wheat Growers Association and Mayer's neighbor and friend, praised Mayer's character: "Charlie, you know, he was a great guy. He never did anything for his own personal satisfaction or glory or to receive praise or so on, you know, and build a legacy for himself. He was a guy who did things because they needed to be done and especially they needed to be done for our industry, for agriculture."
Jochum highlighted Mayer's significant contributions to free trade, noting his role in the development and signing of the 1988 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement. "He played a major role in the development and the eventual signing of the 1988 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement. That was one of the first of many trade agreements that he signed. He also laid the groundwork for World Trade negotiations with the Uruguay round of GATT negotiations in '94, designed to reduce tariffs and eliminate several non-tariff trade barriers."
Jochum emphasized the need for leaders like Mayer today: "We need a guy like Charlie Mayer, you know, more so now than ever. And he was the guy. From the Wheat Growers perspective, his greatest achievement was the removal of oats from the Canadian Wheat Board in 1989."
In recognition of his contributions, Charlie Mayer was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2005.