TORONTO - Former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna is to deliver the eulogy for Canadian business giant Wallace McCain, who died on Friday at the age of 81.
Funeral services for the mogul and philanthropist are to be held this week in Toronto.
"He was highly honoured and people had great respect for him so I imagine there would be a number of people who will come to pay their respects," Linda Smith, a spokeswoman for Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI), said Sunday.
She said McCain's children were also expected to speak at this Friday's services.
The proceedings will be fed by satellite to two churches in McCain's hometown of Florenceville, N.B., at the same time.
"Wallace has a lot of friends and family in New Brunswick and specifically Florenceville, where his roots are, so there was a decision to share the service," Smith said from Toronto.
His widow, Margaret, was not expected to speak at the service.
McCain helped turn a humble New Brunswick french fry plant in Florenceville into a multibillion dollar frozen foods empire. McCain Foods now operates in 44 countries.
He and his late brother, Harrison, founded the company in 1956, following in the footsteps of their father, who owned a seed potato exporting business in the community.
In 1994, Wallace McCain was forced out of the company after a falling out with his brother, with whom he later reconciled. McCain went on to head a faltering Maple Leaf Foods and was credited for putting it on more solid footing.
He remained a board member and vice-chairman of McCain Foods and still owned one third of the company.
Following his death, tributes began pouring in from friends, politicians and fellow entrepreneurs. Those closest to McCain described him as a warm and charming man whose ambition was matched only by his generosity.
McKenna, who described McCain as his best friend, said the businessman had the heart of someone twice his age.
"He's fun to be with, he was full of life, he just lived life right to the maximum," said McKenna, deputy chairman of TD Bank Group.
"He was just a wonderful person to be around."
Former prime minister Paul Martin praised McCain for his business savvy, compassion and "infectious sense of humour."
Town council in Florenceville said the loss would be keenly felt in the community where his legacy began.
"Mr. McCain's contribution to this community are immeasurable and have made this -- his hometown -- a better place for all who work, live or visit here," council said in a statement.
Until his death, McCain sat on the board of directors of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (TSX:BAM.A) and the Maple Leaf subsidiary Canada Bread (TSX:CBY).
Last year, Forbes Magazine listed him as No. 421 on its annual list of richest billionaires worldwide, giving him a personal net worth of $2.3 billion.
