Cliff Cullen

Cliff Cullen
Cliff Cullen
10th Deputy Premier of Manitoba
	In office; January 18, 2022 – October 18, 2023
Premier	Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Kelvin Goertzen
Succeeded by	Uzoma Asagwara
Manitoba Minister of Finance
	In office; January 30, 2023 – October 18, 2023
Premier	Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Cameron Friesen
Succeeded by	Adrien Sala
Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade
	In office; January 18, 2022 – January 30, 2023
Premier	Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Jon Reyes
Succeeded by	Jeff Wharton
Manitoba Minister of Education
	In office; January 5, 2021 – January 18, 2022
Premier	Brian Pallister ; Kelvin Goertzen ; Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Kelvin Goertzen
Succeeded by	Wayne Ewasko
Manitoba Minister of Justice and Attorney General
	In office; August 1, 2018 – January 5, 2021
Premier	Brian Pallister
Preceded by	Heather Stefanson
Succeeded by	Cameron Friesen
Manitoba Minister of Crown Services
	In office; August 17, 2017 – August 1, 2018
Premier	Brian Pallister
Preceded by	Ron Schuler
Succeeded by	Colleen Mayer
Manitoba Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade
	In office; May 3, 2016 – August 17, 2017
Premier	Brian Pallister
Preceded by	portfolio established
Succeeded by	Blaine Pedersen
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Spruce Woods ; Turtle Mountain 2004–2011
	In office; October 4, 2011 – September 5, 2023
Preceded by	first member
Succeeded by	Grant Jackson
	In office; July 2, 2004 – October 4, 2011
Preceded by	Merv Tweed
Succeeded by	riding dissolved
Personal details
Born	November 8, 1962 (age 62)
Political party	Progressive Conservative Party

Clifford James Cullen (born November 8, 1962) is a Canadian politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Spruce Woods. He was first elected in a by-election held in the summer of 2004, and was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2019.^[1]

Early life and education

Cullen was raised on a farm near Wawanesa, Manitoba, and subsequently attended the University of Manitoba, where he received a Diploma in Agriculture.^[2] He worked in the agricultural and environmental sectors, and also has experience as an insurance broker.^[3]

Political career

When Turtle Mountain MLA Mervin Tweed resigned from the provincial legislature in 2004 to run as a candidate in the 2004 Canadian federal election, Cullen sought and won the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba nomination to succeed him. Cullen was elected with about 60% of the popular vote on June 29, 2004.^[4]

The Turtle Mountain constituency was abolished for the 2011 provincial election, and Cullen sought election in Spruce Woods, which absorbed the western portion of Turtle Mountain. He won easily with 66 percent of the vote.^[1]

On May 3, 2016, Cullen was appointed to the Executive Council of Manitoba as Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade.^[5]^[6]

Cullen was named Minister of Crown Services and Government House Leader as part of a cabinet shuffle on August 17, 2017.^[7]

On August 1, 2018, Cullen was named Minister of Justice and Attorney General.^[1]

On January 5, 2021, Cullen was named Minister of Education.

On January 18, 2022 Cullen was named Deputy Premier of Manitoba and Minister of Economic Development, Investment and trade.

On January 30, 2023 after Cameron Friesen resigned as Finance Minister and MLA, Cullen was named Finance Minister.

Personal life

Cullen makes his home in the Glenboro area with his wife Marilyn and three sons.^[3]

Electoral record

v t e 2019 Manitoba general election: Spruce Woods
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Cliff Cullen	5,665	68.06	-3.3	$12,334.55
	New Democratic	Justin Shannon	1,321	15.87	+2.3	$1,211.77
	Green	Gordon Beddome	820	9.85	+8.2	$0.00
	Liberal	Jennifer Harcus	517	6.21	-1.2	$0.00
Total valid votes			8,323	99.46	–
Rejected			45	0.54
Turnout			8,368	56.75
Eligible voters			14,746
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		-2.8
Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2019). Statement of Votes for the 42nd Provincial General Election, September 10, 2019 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. "Candidate Election Returns". Elections Manitoba. Elections Manitoba. Retrieved 2 March 2020.

v t e 2016 Manitoba general election: Spruce Woods
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Cliff Cullen	5,210	73.12	6.47	$13,262.74
	Manitoba	Malcolm McKellar	738	10.36	–	$3,614.69
	New Democratic	Amanda Chmelyk	665	9.33	-19.28	$146.90
	Liberal	Jaron Hart	512	7.19	2.46	$5.84
Total valid votes			7,125	–	–
Rejected			103	–
Eligible voters / turnout			13,904	51.99	3.35
Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2016). Statement of Votes for the 41st Provincial General Election, April 19, 2016 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. "Election Returns: 41st General Election". Elections Manitoba. 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2018.

v t e 2011 Manitoba general election: Spruce Woods
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Cliff Cullen	4,495	66.65	$14,786.56
	New Democratic	Cory Szczepanski	1,930	28.62	$5,104.39
	Liberal	Trenton Zazalak	319	4.73	$2,227.13
Total valid votes			6,744	–
Rejected			36	–
Eligible voters / turnout			13,940	48.64
Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2011). Statement of Votes for the 40th Provincial General Election, October 4, 2011 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba. "Election Returns: 40th General Election". Elections Manitoba. 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2018.

v t e 2007 Manitoba general election: Turtle Mountain
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Cliff Cullen	4,318	66.10	3.08	$15,425.52
	New Democratic	Faron Douglas	1,476	22.59	4.41	$3,785.64
	Liberal	Allen Hunter	739	11.31	-7.49	$3,458.77
Total valid votes			6,533	–	–
Rejected			42	–
Eligible voters / turnout			12,089	54.39	7.29
Source(s) Source: Manitoba. Chief Electoral Officer (2007). Statement of Votes for the 39th Provincial General Election, May 22, 2007 (PDF) (Report). Winnipeg: Elections Manitoba.

v t e Manitoba provincial by-election, July 2, 2004: Turtle Mountain
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Cliff Cullen	3,632	63.01	3.00	$11,273.31
	Liberal	Bev Leadbeater	1,084	18.81	7.54	$2,256.63
	New Democratic	Betty Storie	1,048	18.18	-10.53	$12,037.72
Total valid votes			5,764	–	–
Rejected			12	–
Eligible voters / turnout			12,267	47.10	–
Source(s) Source:

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "MLA Biographies - Living". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 4 November 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
^ "Cliff Cullen - Spruce Woods". The Carillon. Steinbach. 2011. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11.
^ ^a ^b "Cliff Cullen". Retrieved June 22, 2020.
^ "Turtle Mountain". Manitoba Votes 2007. CBC News.
^ "Brian Pallister sworn in as Manitoba premier". CBC News. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
^ "Meet Manitoba's new government cabinet members". CBC News. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
^ "Pallister adds new face, new department in cabinet shuffle". CBC. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.

[LAM_bio-1] "MLA Biographies - Living". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 4 November 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2020.

[carillon-2] "Cliff Cullen - Spruce Woods". The Carillon. Steinbach. 2011. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11.

[Cliff_Cullen-3] "Cliff Cullen". Retrieved June 22, 2020.

[4] "Turtle Mountain". Manitoba Votes 2007. CBC News.

[5] "Brian Pallister sworn in as Manitoba premier". CBC News. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.

[6] "Meet Manitoba's new government cabinet members". CBC News. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.

[7] "Pallister adds new face, new department in cabinet shuffle". CBC. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.

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