Eugene Whelan

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Eugene "Gene" Francis Whelan, PC , OC (born July 11, 1924) is a retired Canadian politician. Whelan, a farmer, first won a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1962 election representing the southwestern Ontario county of Essex. He sat continuously in Parliament until his retirement in 1984 and was later a Senator.

In 1972, Whelan became Minister of Agriculture in the cabinet of Pierre Trudeau, and held the position until Trudeau's retirement in 1984 except during the 1979-1980 Joe Clark government. He became a well known figure due to his plain-spokenness (which occasionally got him in trouble) and his stetson hat.

Whelan ran to succeed Trudeau at the 1984 Liberal leadership convention, but came in last.

Eugene Whelan was appointed as Canadian ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, prompting Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leader Brian Mulroney to promise to rescind the appointment if he became Prime Minister. Mulroney won the 1984 election, and recalled Whelan as one of his first acts of office.

In 1996, Whelan was appointed to the Canadian Senate by Jean Chrétien, and served in the chamber until he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 1999.

Whelan's daughter, Susan Whelan was elected to the House of Commons in 1993 in her father's old riding and, in 2002, became Minister of International Trade in Chrétien's cabinet. She was dropped from Cabinet when Paul Martin became prime minister.

In 1987, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.