Mike Radcliffe
Encyclopedia
Michael Frederick Carrington Radcliffe (born December 16, 1944) is a politician
in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1995 to 1999, and was a cabinet minister
in the government of Premier
Gary Filmon
from 1997 to 1999.
Radcliffe was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
, and holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree and an LL.B. from the University of Manitoba
. From 1970 to 1996, he was a partner in the firm of Baker, Radcliffe, Murray, Kovnats. Radcliffe was a freemason but is now the Grand Knight for the St. Ignatius Church council (#5808) of the Knights of Columbus.
In the Canadian general election of 1993
, Radcliffe ran as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party
in the riding of Winnipeg South Centre
. The riding was held by Lloyd Axworthy
at the time, and was considered as safe for Liberal Party of Canada
; Radcliffe received only 3878 votes, against Axworthy's 25667.
In the provincial election of 1995
, Radcliffe ran as a Progressive Conservative
in the upscale west-end Winnipeg riding of River Heights. He was successful on this occasion, defeating Liberal
Anita Neville
(later a federal MP
) by 994 votes.
Radcliffe was appointed to cabinet on January 6, 1997, serving as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs with responsibility for the Gaming Control Act. On February 5, 1999, he became the province's Minister of Labour, with responsibility for the Civil Service Act, the Civil Service Superannuation Act, the Civil Service Special Supplementary Severance Benefits Act (1983), the Public Servants Insurance Act and the Workers Compensation Act.
The Progressive Conservatives were defeated by the New Democratic Party
under Gary Doer
in the provincial election of 1999
. The NDP does not have a strong base in River Heights, and Radcliffe would probably not have had difficulty being re-elected under normal circumstances. It was to his misfortune, however, that provincial Liberal leader Jon Gerrard
decided to contest the riding. Although the Liberals as a whole ran a poor provincial campaign and lost 10% from their 1995 support level, Gerrard's personal popularity was such that he was able to defeat Radcliffe by 465 votes.
Radcliffe attempted to defeat Gerrard in a rematch in the 2003 provincial election
, but lost by almost 2000 votes.
In 2004, Radcliffe was the official campaign agent for Raj Joshi, Conservative
candidate in Winnipeg South Centre.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1995 to 1999, and was a cabinet minister
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
in the government of Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
from 1997 to 1999.
Radcliffe was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, and holds a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor 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...
degree and an LL.B. from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
. From 1970 to 1996, he was a partner in the firm of Baker, Radcliffe, Murray, Kovnats. Radcliffe was a freemason but is now the Grand Knight for the St. Ignatius Church council (#5808) of the Knights of Columbus.
In the Canadian general election of 1993
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, Radcliffe ran as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
in the riding of Winnipeg South Centre
Winnipeg South Centre
Winnipeg South Centre is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1979 and since 1988.-Geography:...
. The riding was held by Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
at the time, and was considered as safe for Liberal Party of Canada
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...
; Radcliffe received only 3878 votes, against Axworthy's 25667.
In the provincial election of 1995
Manitoba general election, 1995
The Manitoba general election of April 25,1995 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative Party, which won 31 seats out of 57...
, Radcliffe ran as a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
in the upscale west-end Winnipeg riding of River Heights. He was successful on this occasion, defeating Liberal
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
Anita Neville
Anita Neville
Anita Neville, MP was a Canadian politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal in the general election of 2000, and was re-elected in 2004 and 2006, before being defeated in 2011.-Early life and career:...
(later a federal 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,...
) by 994 votes.
Radcliffe was appointed to cabinet on January 6, 1997, serving as Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs with responsibility for the Gaming Control Act. On February 5, 1999, he became the province's Minister of Labour, with responsibility for the Civil Service Act, the Civil Service Superannuation Act, the Civil Service Special Supplementary Severance Benefits Act (1983), the Public Servants Insurance Act and the Workers Compensation Act.
The Progressive Conservatives were defeated by the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party of Manitoba
The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation...
under Gary Doer
Gary Doer
Gary Albert Doer, OM is a Canadian diplomat and politician from Manitoba, Canada. Since October 19, 2009, he has served as Canada's Ambassador to the United States...
in the provincial election of 1999
Manitoba general election, 1999
The Manitoba general election of September 21, 1999 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada....
. The NDP does not have a strong base in River Heights, and Radcliffe would probably not have had difficulty being re-elected under normal circumstances. It was to his misfortune, however, that provincial Liberal leader Jon Gerrard
Jon Gerrard
Jon Gerrard, PC, MLA is a politician and medical doctor in Manitoba, Canada. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 1997, and was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chrétien...
decided to contest the riding. Although the Liberals as a whole ran a poor provincial campaign and lost 10% from their 1995 support level, Gerrard's personal popularity was such that he was able to defeat Radcliffe by 465 votes.
Radcliffe attempted to defeat Gerrard in a rematch in the 2003 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 2003
The Manitoba general election held on June 3, 2003 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada. It was won by the New Democratic Party, which won 35 seats out of 57. The Progressive Conservative Party finished second with twenty seats...
, but lost by almost 2000 votes.
In 2004, Radcliffe was the official campaign agent for Raj Joshi, Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
candidate in Winnipeg South Centre.