Roy Cullen
Encyclopedia
For the Texas businessman, see Hugh Roy Cullen
.
Roy Cullen, PC
, MP
(born December 31, 1944, in Montreal, Quebec) was a Liberal
MP
for the riding of Etobicoke North
in the Canadian House of Commons
.
in business administration from Bishop's University
and his Master of Public Administration
from the University of Victoria
. He is a chartered accountant
.
Prior to his first election to the House of Commons, Cullen was a vice-president of the Noranda Forest Group
and served as an assistant deputy minister in the British Columbia
Ministry of Forests. He was very active in the Salvation Army
, Rotary International
and the United Way
.
In 2008, Cullen's book The Poverty of Corrupt Nations was published by Blue Butterfly Book Publishing.
. He stayed as MP until 2008 when he announced his retirement. He served through four sessions of parliament.
He was elected and served as chair of the Ontario Liberal Caucus from 1998 to 1999. In 1999 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of Finance
, and was re-appointed following the 2000 general election. In February 2004, Cullen was elected chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, and on July 20, 2004, Mr. Cullen was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
.
In June 2002, he was appointed to the Prime Minister's Task Force on Canada/U.S. Relations and to the newly-formed Standing Committee for Government Operations and Estimates. In December 2002, he was asked to co-chair the Subcommittee on Public Service Renewal. He also chaired the Liberal caucus
Sub-Committee on Corporate Governance.
In the leadership contest called to replace Paul Martin as leader of the Liberal Party, he initially supported Maurizio Bevilacqua
and subsequently supported Michael Ignatieff
when Bevilacqua withdrew from the race.
In opposition, Cullen broke with the Liberal caucus in 2007 to vote with Stephen Harper
's Conservative government in favour of extending Canada's NATO-authorized combat mission in the Kandahar
province of Afghanistan for two years. In all, 30 Liberal MPs voted with the government which allowed the motion to narrowly pass 149-145. In 2008, Cullen also received publicity for allegedly stating in caucus that he would defy Liberal Party
leader Stéphane Dion
's whip by voting again with the Conservative Government in further extending the combat mission indefinitely. This report was denied by Cullen. Cullen announced on February 21, 2008 that he would not run in the 2008 general election
.
Hugh Roy Cullen
Hugh Roy Cullen was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Cullen was heavily involved in the petroleum industry, was a large supporter of the University of Houston, and longtime chairman of the board of regents for the university...
.
Roy Cullen, PC
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(born December 31, 1944, in Montreal, Quebec) was a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the riding of Etobicoke North
Etobicoke North
Etobicoke North is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979. It covers Rexdale, the northern part of Etobicoke, which is part of Toronto....
in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Background
Cullen earned his Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in business administration from Bishop's University
Bishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
and his Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
. He is a chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
.
Prior to his first election to the House of Commons, Cullen was a vice-president of the Noranda Forest Group
Norbord
Norbord Inc. is an international forest products company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It has 15 operations located in Canada, the United States and Europe, with assets of US$ 1.4 billion and annual sales in excess of $1 billion...
and served as an assistant deputy minister in the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Ministry of Forests. He was very active in the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
and the United Way
United Way of Canada
United Way of Canada is the national organization for the 117 autonomous, volunteer-based United Ways across Canada. United Way campaigns raise money for local groups that address community issues and problems, and the national organization provides leadership, services and coordination to the...
.
In 2008, Cullen's book The Poverty of Corrupt Nations was published by Blue Butterfly Book Publishing.
Politics
He was first elected in a by-election in 1996 and was subsequently re-elected in the 1997Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
. He stayed as MP until 2008 when he announced his retirement. He served through four sessions of parliament.
He was elected and served as chair of the Ontario Liberal Caucus from 1998 to 1999. In 1999 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
, and was re-appointed following the 2000 general election. In February 2004, Cullen was elected chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, and on July 20, 2004, Mr. Cullen was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (Canada)
The Minister of Public Safety is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's domestic security department, Public Safety Canada...
.
In June 2002, he was appointed to the Prime Minister's Task Force on Canada/U.S. Relations and to the newly-formed Standing Committee for Government Operations and Estimates. In December 2002, he was asked to co-chair the Subcommittee on Public Service Renewal. He also chaired the Liberal caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
Sub-Committee on Corporate Governance.
In the leadership contest called to replace Paul Martin as leader of the Liberal Party, he initially supported Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...
and subsequently supported Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
when Bevilacqua withdrew from the race.
In opposition, Cullen broke with the Liberal caucus in 2007 to vote with Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
's Conservative government in favour of extending Canada's NATO-authorized combat mission in the Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
province of Afghanistan for two years. In all, 30 Liberal MPs voted with the government which allowed the motion to narrowly pass 149-145. In 2008, Cullen also received publicity for allegedly stating in caucus that he would defy Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
leader Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
's whip by voting again with the Conservative Government in further extending the combat mission indefinitely. This report was denied by Cullen. Cullen announced on February 21, 2008 that he would not run in the 2008 general election
40th Canadian federal election
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
.