Background
He was born in Burlington, Ontario and became a lawyer by career.
He was born in Burlington, Ontario and became a lawyer by career.
Cleaver served in World War I with the 1st Canadian Tank Battalion. He was reeve of Burlington in 1919 then became its mayor in 1920. He was first elected to Parliament at the Halton riding in the 1935 general election then re-elected for successive terms in 1940, 1945 and 1949.
Cleaver left the House of Commons after completing his fourth term in office, the 21st Canadian Parliament, and did not seek another term in the 1953 election.