 In January 1912, the Canadian government commissioned Cleven to be in charge of Canada's Scandinavian settlement program.During this time, he had an office in Winnipeg and travelled throughout the United States and Canada to further the settlement of Manitoba by Norwegians.After the outbreak of the First World War, Cleven, ranked Captain, was appointed as the leader of three Norwegian-Canadians who were intent on organizing the 197th Battalion ("The Vikings of Canada") of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.