Robert Weir

Robert Weir, (December 5, 1882 – March 7, 1939) was a Canadian politician. Weir was born in Wingham, Ontario, and was a teacher by training. After working in Ontario he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, where he taught, worked as an actuary, public school inspector, farmer and horse, cattle and hog breeder. He fought in World War I and was wounded at the Third Battle of Ypres. He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1930 federal election becoming the Conservative MP for Melfort, Saskatchewan. He was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of Agriculture under Richard Bennett at a time when farmers were faced with the drought known as the "Dust Bowl" as well as the general crisis of the Great Depression which caused wheat prices to collapse from $1.28 to 60 cents a bushel within three years.