Cameron Friesen
Cameron Scott Friesen, is a Canadian politician and was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Morden-Winkler.[1] A member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, he was first elected in the 2011 provincial election,[2] and re-elected in 2016 and 2019.[3]
Friesen was the Manitoba Minister of Finance from May 3, 2016 until August 1, 2018 and served a second term from January 18, 2022 until January 30, 2023 [4][5] He was appointed Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living on August 1, 2018. During his tenure as Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living, Friesen has faced several criticisms for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] He was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General on January 5, 2021.
Friesen announced his resignation as Minister of Finance in January 2023, and shortly thereafter on February 3, 2023 he resigned his seat as MLA for Morden-Winkler to seek the federal nomination in Portage—Lisgar after Candice Bergen announced the previous fall that she would not be seeking reelection in the 45th Canadian federal election.[8] He lost the nomination to Branden Leslie.
Health minister
In November 2020 he questioned the motivation of more than 200 experts who raised concerns regarding the seriousness of COVID-19.[9] At the time, he claimed he had things under control.[9] After he refused to apologize, opposition MLAs including New Democratic Party health critic Uzoma Asagwara and Liberal Party leader Dougald Lamont called on him to resign.[9]
Electoral record
| 2019 Manitoba general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Progressive Conservative | Cameron Friesen | 6,096 | 81.20 | -3.83 | $12,339.21 | |||
| Green | Mike Urichuk | 769 | 10.24 | +1.65 | $129.20 | |||
| New Democratic | Robin Dalloo | 365 | 4.86 | +2.09 | $0.00 | |||
| Liberal | David Mintz | 277 | 3.69 | +0.19 | $0.00 | |||
| Total valid votes | 100.0 | |||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Eligible voters | ||||||||
| 2016 Manitoba general election: Morden-Winkler | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Progressive Conservative | Cameron Friesen | 6,598 | 85.04 | -0.49 | $14,748.12 | |||
| Green | Mike Urichuk | 667 | 8.60 | – | $979.50 | |||
| Liberal | Benjamin Bawdon | 279 | 3.60 | 0.59 | $41.45 | |||
| New Democratic | Elizabeth Lynch | 215 | 2.77 | -8.69 | $793.14 | |||
| Total valid votes | 7,759 | – | – | |||||
| Rejected | 34 | – | ||||||
| Eligible voters / turnout | 15,006 | 51.93 | 11.15 | |||||
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 September 10, 2018. | ||||||||
| 2011 Manitoba general election: Morden-Winkler | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Cameron Friesen | 4,918 | 85.53 | $20,100.34 | ||||
| New Democratic | Aaron McDowell | 659 | 11.46 | $0.00 | ||||
| Liberal | Daniel Woldeyohanis | 173 | 3.01 | $0.00 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 5,750 | – | ||||||
| Rejected | 39 | – | ||||||
| Eligible voters / turnout | 14,195 | 40.78 | ||||||
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 September 12, 2018. | ||||||||
References
- "Ministers change duties, one new face after Tory cabinet shuffle". Winnipeg Sun. August 1, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
- Manitoba Votes 2011: Morden-Winkler. CBC News, October 4, 2011.
- "MLA Biographies - Living". Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
- "Brian Pallister sworn in as Manitoba premier". CBC News. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- "Meet Manitoba's new government cabinet members". CBC News. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- "Toronto doctors slam Manitoba's health minister for saying care home deaths are unavoidable". CBC News. October 21, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- "Manitoba health minister faces criticism after questioning motivation behind doctors' letter on COVID-19". The Globe and Mail. November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- Raycraft, Richard (February 1, 2023). "Former interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen steps down as MP". CBC News. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- "Manitoba health minister rejects calls to resign after accusing 200-plus doctors of 'causing chaos' | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
External links
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