Nollet, Isidore Charles (1898-1988)

Isidore Nollet.

Saskatchewan Archives Board R-A8371

“Toby” Nollet was born November 18, 1898, at Sentinel Butte, North Dakota. Nollet was educated at St. Benedict's Academy and St. Thomas Military College in Minnesota. During World War I he served overseas with the American Expeditionary Force. He came with his father to settle at Freemont, Saskatchewan, establishing a ranching operation stocked with Aberdeen Angus cattle. In 1957, the ranch was sold to a group of neighbours, who formed the Neilburg Co-operative Grazing Association. For three terms Nollet was reeve of the rural municipality of Hillsdale and an active member of the United Farmers of Canada. He was a member of various co-operatives, including the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, and helped to organize Canadian Co-operative Implements Limited in the area. He was elected a member of the provincial Legislature in 1944 and represented Cut Knife constituency for the CCF until he retired in 1967. He was Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1944 to 1946, when he became the Minister of Agriculture, a post he held until 1964 when the CCF was defeated; Nollet was the longest-serving Minister of Agriculture in Saskatchewan's history. Under his guidance, the Lands Branch and the Conservation and Development Branch were established, the latter providing an engineering service to deal with soil and water problems, flood control, irrigation, and reclamation. Provincial community pastures were developed. Nollet supported development of the South Saskatchewan River project. Nollet was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame. He died on April 29, 1988, in Kelowna, BC.

Lisa Dale-Burnett

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