View source for Cliff Cullen

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Cliff Cullen
| image               = 
| imagesize           = 
| caption             = 
| office              = 10th [[Deputy Premier of Manitoba]]
| term_start          = January 18, 2022
| term_end            = October 18, 2023
| premier             = [[Heather Stefanson]]
| predecessor         = [[Kelvin Goertzen]]
| successor           = [[Uzoma Asagwara]]
| office1             = [[Minister of Finance (Manitoba)|Manitoba Minister of Finance]]
| term_start1         = January 30, 2023
| term_end1           = October 18, 2023
| premier1            = [[Heather Stefanson]]
| predecessor1        = [[Cameron Friesen]]
| successor1          = [[Adrien Sala]]
| office2             = [[Manitoba Economic Development and Jobs|Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade]]
| term_start2         = January 18, 2022
| term_end2           = January 30, 2023
| premier2            = [[Heather Stefanson]]
| predecessor2        = [[Jon Reyes]]
| successor2          = [[Jeff Wharton]]
| office3             = [[Minister of Education (Manitoba)|Manitoba Minister of Education]]
| term_start3         = January 5, 2021
| term_end3           = January 18, 2022
| premier3            = [[Brian Pallister]] <br> [[Kelvin Goertzen]] <br> [[Heather Stefanson]]
| predecessor3        = [[Kelvin Goertzen]]
| successor3          = [[Wayne Ewasko]]
| office4             = [[Minister of Justice and Attorney General (Manitoba)|Manitoba Minister of Justice and Attorney General]]
| term_start4         = August 1, 2018
| term_end4           = January 5, 2021
| premier4            = [[Brian Pallister]]
| predecessor4        = [[Heather Stefanson]]
| successor4          = [[Cameron Friesen]]
| office5             = Manitoba Minister of Crown Services
| term_start5         = August 17, 2017
| term_end5           = August 1, 2018
| premier5            = [[Brian Pallister]]
| predecessor5        = [[Ron Schuler]]
| successor5          = [[Colleen Mayer]]
| office6             = Manitoba Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade
| term_start6         = May 3, 2016
| term_end6           = August 17, 2017
| premier6            = [[Brian Pallister]]
| predecessor6        = portfolio established
| successor6          = [[Blaine Pedersen]]
| office7             = Member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] for [[Spruce Woods (electoral district)|Spruce Woods]] <br> [[Turtle Mountain (electoral district)|Turtle Mountain]] 2004–2011
| term_start7         = October 4, 2011
| term_end7           = September 5, 2023
| predecessor7        = first member
| successor7          = [[Grant Jackson (politician)|Grant Jackson]]
| term_start8         = July 2, 2004
| term_end8           = October 4, 2011
| predecessor8        = [[Merv Tweed]]
| successor8          = riding dissolved
| party               = [[Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba|Progressive Conservative Party]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1962|11|8}}
| birth_place         = 
| nationality         = 
| alma_mater          = [[University of Manitoba]]
}}
'''Clifford James Cullen''' (born November 8, 1962) is a Canadian politician and member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] for [[Spruce Woods (electoral district)|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.<ref name="LAM bio">{{cite web |title=MLA Biographies - Living |url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/mla_bio_living.html#c |publisher=[[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] |date=4 November 2009 |accessdate=June 22, 2020}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Cullen was raised on a farm near [[Wawanesa, Manitoba|Wawanesa]], Manitoba, and subsequently attended the [[University of Manitoba]], where he received a Diploma in [[Agriculture]].<ref name=carillon>{{cite news |url=http://manitobaelection.thecarillon.com/election-candidate/id-1835/ |title=Cliff Cullen - Spruce Woods |newspaper=The Carillon |location=Steinbach |year=2011 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811233926/http://manitobaelection.thecarillon.com/election-candidate/id-1835/ |archive-date=2014-08-11 }}</ref>  He worked in the agricultural and environmental sectors, and also has experience as an insurance broker.<ref name="Cliff Cullen">{{cite news |url=https://www.pcmanitoba.com/cliff_cullen |title=Cliff Cullen |accessdate=June 22, 2020}}</ref>

==Political career==
When [[Turtle Mountain (electoral district)|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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/manitobavotes2007/riding/054 |title=Turtle Mountain |work=Manitoba Votes 2007 |publisher=CBC News}}</ref>

The Turtle Mountain constituency was abolished for the [[2011 Manitoba general election|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.<ref name="LAM bio"/>

On May 3, 2016, Cullen was appointed to the [[Executive Council of Manitoba]] as Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-brian-pallister-progressive-conservatives-sworn-in-1.3564106|title=Brian Pallister sworn in as Manitoba premier|publisher=CBC News|date=May 3, 2016|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-government-cabinet-members-1.3564176|title=Meet Manitoba's new government cabinet members|publisher=CBC News|date=May 3, 2016|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref>

Cullen was named Minister of Crown Services and Government House Leader as part of a cabinet shuffle on August 17, 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pallister adds new face, new department in cabinet shuffle|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/cabinet-shuffle-manitoba-1.4251238|accessdate=29 August 2017|work=CBC|date=17 August 2017}}</ref>

On August 1, 2018, Cullen was named Minister of Justice and Attorney General.<ref name="LAM bio"/>

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.<ref name="Cliff Cullen"/>

==Electoral record==
{{2019 Manitoba general election/Spruce Woods}}
{{2016 Manitoba general election/Spruce Woods}}
{{2011 Manitoba general election/Spruce Woods}}
{{2007 Manitoba general election/Turtle Mountain}}
{{2004 Manitoba provincial by-elections/Turtle Mountain}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Pallister ministry}}
{{Goertzen ministry}}

{{Stefanson ministry}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Cliff}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba]]
[[Category:Deputy premiers of Manitoba]]
[[Category:University of Manitoba alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]