The Saskatchewan senator and farmer passed away July 31
Canadian senators used their time on Sept. 29 to remember a colleague and Saskatchewan farmer.
Senate Speaker Raymonda Gagné granted senators additional time to pay tribute to Senator Todd Lewis who passed away on July 31 at age 65.
The farmer from Gray, Sask., and former president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, received his senate appointment from Prime Minister Trudeau in February 2025.
Here’s how some of his senate peers spoke about him.
Sen. Mary Robinson, a P.E.I. farmer and former president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, remembered Lewis for his pursuit of championing Canadian ag.
“He entered public life and service for all the right reasons,” she said. “He cared deeply about Canada and building a strong and sustainable future for Canadian agriculture.”
His strengths as a public servant included listening to different perspectives and taking a practical approach to policy, she added.
Sen. Tracy Muggli, a Saskatchewan farm kid herself, told the Red Chamber Senator Lewis reminded her of her father – a quiet man with a large presence.
Lewis held “deep respect for his profession, respect for the power of the land and what it could do when cared for properly and such deep respect for his community,” she said.
In addition, Lewis’ demeanor provided an opportunity for senators to let their guards down.
“He just made me feel like I could be my Saskatchewan farm kid self, which is why I think so many of our conversations were really just joking around,” she added.
Sen. Pamela Wallin, another Saskatchewan senator, echoed similar feelings in her statement.
“He was comfortable, so he made you comfortable,” she said. “His eyes were kind, and his smile was warm. He was a guy with a big heart.”
Sen. Marty Klyne, also from Saskatchewan, visited Lewis in Gray in 2025.
He recounted how Lewis embodied the spirit of his community.
“It struck me that there could hardly have been a more fitting place to meet Senator Lewis. He was a man with deep roots in his family, his community, Saskatchewan and the land he had farmed for more than 40 years. That connection to community was reflected in how he lived,” Klyne said.