Born in June 1876, Crerar's Scots inheritance and rural Manitoba upbringing gave him a life-long commitment to the liberal values of independence, self-reliance, thrift, and co-operation. He became the founding president of United Grain Growers in 1917 and was Borden's Minister of Agriculture during World War I. When the federal government refused to lower protective tariffs after the war, Crerar left the Cabinet in protest and became the leader of...