Canada-Investigations continue into 22 contaminated meat related deaths.

CANADA-- Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says he will meet a government-appointed investigator probing last summer’s listeriosis outbreak.

Investigator Sheila Weatherill will question Ritz about his role in the crisis that caused the deaths of more than 20 people who ate tainted meat.

The Harper government appointed Weatherill to lead the probe in January.

She has so far interviewed a number of government officials, academics and industry groups - but not Ritz, the lead government minister on the file.

Ritz says Weatherill chose to question him later rather than sooner for her own reasons.

Ritz appeared Wednesday at a special panel of MPs studying food safety and the listeriosis outbreak.