Manmeet Bhullar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manmeet Bhullar
ਮਨਮੀਤ ਭੁੱਲਰ |
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| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Calgary-Greenway | |
| In office March 3, 2008 – November 23, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Hung Pham |
| Succeeded by | Prabhdeep Gill |
| Minister of Human Services | |
| In office December 13, 2013 – May 24, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Dave Hancock |
| Succeeded by | Irfan Sabir |
| Minister of Service Alberta | |
| In office October 12, 2011 – December 13, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Heather Klimchuk |
| Succeeded by | Doug Griffiths |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Manmeet Singh Bhullar
March 1, 1980 Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | November 23, 2015 (aged 35) Red Deer County, Alberta, Canada |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Residence | Calgary |
| Alma mater | University of Windsor |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Manmeet Singh Bhullar (Punjabi: ਮਨਮੀਤ ਭੁੱਲਰ) (March 1, 1980 – November 23, 2015) was a Canadian politician. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the area of Calgary-Greenway. He belonged to the Progressive Conservative party.
Manmeet served as a cabinet minister from 2011 until 2015. Many people saw him as a rising star in his political party. He sadly passed away on November 23, 2015. He was helping a driver who was stuck on the road when he was hit by a truck.
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Early Life and School
Manmeet Bhullar was born on March 1, 1980, in Calgary, Alberta. His family lived in the community of Penbrooke Meadows. Later, they moved to Whitehorn.
He went to Chief Justice Milvain School and Annie Gale Junior High School. Manmeet then attended Lester B. Pearson High School. He was even on the school's football team!
Higher Education
Manmeet continued his studies after high school. In 2005, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Athabasca University. His main focus was on Sociology.
He also studied at Mount Royal University. Later, in 2011, Manmeet earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Windsor. This meant he became a lawyer.
Helping the Community
Manmeet was very involved in his community from a young age. He started a youth group called "Inspire." This group helped young people get involved and make a difference.
He also helped organize the "Walking Hunger Away" campaign in Calgary. He led volunteers to raise money for health services. Manmeet worked with many other youth groups too.
Because of his hard work, he received several awards. These included the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Athabasca University Leadership Award. Manmeet was a strong voice for people in East Calgary.
Political Journey
Manmeet got involved in politics early on. He helped Rick D. Orman, a local politician, with his re-election campaign. While studying, Manmeet also helped with Jim Prentice's political campaign in 2003.
Later, he worked with Jim Prentice when Prentice was a MP. Manmeet helped him with his duties for Alberta and the Territories.
Becoming an MLA
In 2008, Manmeet ran for public office himself. He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (MLA) for Calgary-Montrose. He was only 28 years old. This made him the youngest person elected to Alberta's legislature at that time.
On March 12, 2008, he became the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. This was a big achievement for someone so young. In 2010, he became Parliamentary Assistant to Municipal Affairs.
Cabinet Minister Roles
Manmeet Bhullar served in important roles as a cabinet minister. A cabinet minister is a politician who leads a specific government department.
Minister of Service Alberta
On October 12, 2011, Manmeet became the Minister of Service Alberta. He was the first turbaned Sikh to hold such a position. In this role, he oversaw many services for Albertans.
He helped connect 98% of Albertans to high-speed internet. He also pushed for a national wireless code to protect mobile phone users. Manmeet worked to stop dishonest contractors who took advantage of people after the 2013 floods. He also helped improve rules for condominium owners.
Minister of Human Services
On December 13, 2013, Manmeet was promoted. He became the Minister of Human Services. This was a very large department with over 4,000 employees. He was praised for improving Alberta's child intervention system.
Minister of Infrastructure
In Fall 2014, Manmeet was appointed Minister of Infrastructure. This happened when Jim Prentice became the new premier. He held this position until the legislature was dissolved in 2015.
In Opposition
In the 2015 provincial election, the Progressive Conservative government lost. Manmeet Bhullar was one of only 10 Progressive Conservative MLAs who were re-elected. He then served as a member of the opposition in the Alberta legislature until his death.
His Passing
Manmeet Bhullar passed away on November 23, 2015. He was driving from Calgary to Edmonton in bad weather. He stopped on the Queen Elizabeth II highway to help a driver who had been in a collision. While helping, he was tragically struck by a semi-truck that had lost control.
