Merv Tweed

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Mervin C. Tweed
Merv Tweed

Member of Parliament
for Brandon-Souris
Incumbent
Assumed office 
2004
Preceded by Rick Borotsik

Born August 6, 1955 (1955-08-06) (age 52)
Medora, Manitoba
Political party Conservative

Mervin C. Tweed, MP (born August 6, 1955 in Medora, Manitoba) is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He currently sits as the Member of Parliament for Brandon—Souris. Prior to that he was a member of the Manitoba Legislature from 1995 to 2004, representing the constituency of Turtle Mountain.

Tweed was born in Medora, Manitoba, and was educated at Brandon University. He operated an automobile business for seventeen years, and was for a time an executive member of the Killarney and Area Recreation Committee.

Tweed began his political career in municipal politics, serving as a councillor in the rural municipality of Brenda for five years, and as deputy reeve for three. In 1995, he was elected to the Manitoba legislature as a Progressive Conservative in Turtle Mountain, a safe seat for the party. He served as a parliamentary assistant to a variety of ministers in the government of Premier Gary Filmon before being appointed Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism with responsibility for the Development Corporation Act on February 5, 1999.

Tweed was easily re-elected in the provincial election of October 1999, although the Progressive Conservatives were defeated at the provincial level by the New Democratic Party under Gary Doer. Tweed resigned his cabinet portfolio with the rest of the Filmon ministry.

Despite the NDP's landmark election win of 2003, Tweed was again re-elected in Turtle Mountain without difficulty, receiving 3956 votes against 1893 for New Democrat Lonnie Patterson.

When federal Conservative MP Rick Borotsik (Brandon-Souris), announced his retirement in 2004, Tweed resigned his provincial seat and won the Conservative nomination for the riding. He received 18209 votes in the general election, against 8522 for Liberal Murray Downing.

Following the election, Tweed was named opposition critic for Western Economic Diversification by Conservative leader Stephen Harper. He easily retained his seat in the 2006 election.

[edit] External links

Assembly seats
Preceded by
Bob Rose
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Turtle Mountain
1995-2004
Succeeded by
Cliff Cullen
Parliament of Canada
Preceded by
Rick Borotsik
Member of Parliament for Brandon—Souris
2004-present
Succeeded by
Incumbent

[edit] Electoral record

2006 federal election : Brandon—Souris edit
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
     Conservative (x)Merv Tweed 20,247 54.43 $50,287.96
     New Democratic Party Bob Senff 7,528 20.24 $7,119.25
     Liberal Murray Downing 6,696 18.00 $20,605.00
     Green Brad Bird 1,707 4.59 $15.50
     Independent Mike Volek 611 1.64 $4,238.60
     Christian Heritage Colin Atkins 290 0.78 $1,380.45
     Communist Lisa Gallagher 120 0.32 $295.28
Total valid votes 37,199 100.00
Total rejected ballots 138
Turnout 37,337 60.32
Electors on the lists 61,903


2004 federal election : Brandon—Souris edit
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
     Conservative Merv Tweed 18,209 51.72 $54,284.31
     Liberal Murray Downing 8,522 24.21 $26,903.84
     New Democratic Party Mike Abbey 6,740 19.15 $13,512.95
     Green David Kattenburg 1,264 3.59 $1,322.83
     Christian Heritage Colin Atkins 351 1.00 $683.41
     Communist Lisa Gallagher 118 0.34 $665.22
Total valid votes 35,204 100.00
Total rejected ballots 194
Turnout 35,398 56.24
Electors on the lists 62,938
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