Clifford James Cullen (born November 8, 1962) is a Canadian politician and member of the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (french: Assemblée législative du Manitoba) is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at provincial gener ...

for Spruce Woods, currently serving as the

Deputy Premier of Manitoba The deputy premier of Manitoba is a Cabinet minister in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The position has existed for several years, but only appears to have become a full-fledged Cabinet portfolio in 1988. Between 2009 and 2011, the position was ...

and Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade. He was first elected in a by-election held in the summer of 2004, and was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2019.

Early life and education

Cullen was raised on a farm near Wawanesa, Manitoba, and subsequently attended the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

. He worked in the agricultural and environmental sectors, and also has experience as an insurance broker.

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 The 2004 Canadian federal election was held on June 28, 2004, to elect members to the House of Commons of Canada of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority but was able to continue in ...

, Cullen sought and won the

Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Manitoba) is a centre-right political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is currently the governing party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, after winnin ...

nomination to succeed him. Cullen was elected with about 60% of the popular vote on June 29, 2004. 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. On May 3, 2016, Cullen was appointed to the

Executive Council of Manitoba The Executive Council of Manitoba (french: Conseil exécutif du Manitoba), more commonly known as the Cabinet of Manitoba, is the cabinet of the Canadian province of Manitoba. As of 2022, the current cabinet are members of the Progressive Conserv ...

as Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade. Cullen was named Minister of Crown Services and Government House Leader as part of a cabinet shuffle on August 17, 2017. On August 1, 2018, Cullen was named Minister of Justice and Attorney General. On January 5, 2021, Cullen was named Minister of Education.

Personal life

Cullen makes his home in the Glenboro area with his wife Marilyn and three sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Cliff 1962 births Living people Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba Deputy premiers of Manitoba University of Manitoba alumni 21st-century Canadian politicians Place of birth missing (living people)