Fondo F 303 - Eric Berntson fonds

Eric Arthur Berntson was born on May 16, 1941 at Oxbow, Saskatchewan to Arthur Berntson and Johanna Larson. He received his early education at Glen Ewen, Saskatchewan and attended high school at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He later attended the University of Calgary.

After serving eight years as a pilot with the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force, Berntson moved to Calgary, Alberta, where he worked in electronic data processing for National Cash Register. He returned to Saskatchewan around 1972 and began farming in the Carievale district. Berntson was a member of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association and the Royal Canadian Legion.

Berntson was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1975 and served as a Progressive Conservative MLA for the Souris-Cannington constituency until 1990. He was Leader of the Official Opposition in the Saskatchewan Legislature from 1979 to 1982. Berntson served in the Grant Devine Government as Minister of Agriculture (1982-1983); Minister of Economic Development and Trade (1983-1985); Provincial Secretary (1983-1990); Minister of Economic Development and Tourism (1989-1990) and Deputy Premier (1982-1989). He was Minister Responsible for numerous agencies, boards and commissions including Agricultural Development Corporation (1982-1990); Saskatchewan Water Corporation (1985-1986); Souris Basin Development Authority (1986-1989); Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (1988-1990) and Crown Investments Corporation (1987-1990).

Berntson resigned from Cabinet on April 10, 1990 and vacated his seat in the Saskatchewan Legislature on July 19, 1990. On September 27, 1990, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Berntson served as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 1994 to 1997. He resigned his seat in the Senate on February 27, 2001.

Eric Berntson died at Ottawa, Ontario on September 23, 2018.