Editing Merv Tweed (section)

==Federal politician (2004–2013)==

When federal [[Conservative Party of Canada|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 18,209 votes in the general election, against 8,522 for [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] Murray Downing.<ref name=riding>{{cite web |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/FederalRidingsHistory/hfer.asp?Include=Y&Language=E&rid=62&Search=Det |title=Brandon—Souris, Manitoba (1952 - ) |work=History of Federal Ridings since 1867 |publisher=[[Parliament of Canada]]}}</ref>

Following the 2004 election, Tweed was named opposition critic for [[Western Economic Diversification Canada|Western Economic Diversification]] by Conservative leader [[Stephen Harper]]. In April 2006, Tweed was elected chairperson of [[House of Commons of Canada]]'s Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, a post he held until September 25, 2012 when he was elected chairperson of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food.<ref name=parlinfo/> His resignation took effect on August 31, 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tory MP Merv Tweed quits to pursue 'private sector opportunities'|url=http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/08/tory-mp-merv-tweed-quits-to-pursue-private-sector-opportunities.html|accessdate=12 August 2013|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 August 2013}}</ref> Tweed went on to work as President of [[OmniTRAX]] Canada,<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-mp-quits-takes-top-job-at-rail-company-1.1387138 cbc.ca: "Manitoba MP quits, takes top job at rail company. Tory MP second in matter of weeks to resign in Manitoba" 12 Aug 2013]</ref> which operates, amongst others, the [[Port of Churchill]].