Smith was educated at Ridgetown Agricultural School, and worked as a farmer before entering political life.
During one session in July 1985, he made some controversial remarks where he appeared to support some of the views of holocaust denier James Keegstra.
After the meeting he told reporters that he did not know whether Keegstra was right or wrong in denying the mass murder of Jews during the Second World War.
[1] David Peterson distanced himself from the comments in a letter to the Canadian Jewish Congress in which he called Smith's remarks unconscionable.
[5] The Liberals were defeated by the New Democratic Party in the 1990 provincial election, and Smith finished third against NDP candidate Ellen MacKinnon in his bid for re-election.