Kevin Krueger
Kamloops-South Thompson

Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts

Kevin Krueger launched his political career in 1996, winning the provincial election in Kamloops – North Thompson, defeating the NDP incumbent, and becoming an effective member of the BC Liberal Official Opposition. He served as Official Opposition Critic for Gaming, Labour, and WCB. In 2001 Kevin again won his seat and was appointed Government Caucus Whip, a responsibility he held for four years. Kevin was re-elected for a third term on May 17, 2005. On February 7, 2007, Kevin was appointed to Cabinet to serve as the Minister of State for Mining, and on June 23, 2008, he was appointed to a new post as Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister Responsible for Deregulation.  On January 19, 2009, Kevin was appointed as Minister of Community Development, a portfolio he held until the 2009 election.  After being re-elected on May 12, 2009 in the riding of Kamloops-South Thompson, Kevin was appointed as Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

The value of an informed political life was instilled in Kevin at an early age. His father, a farmer in northern BC, would gather his children nightly to listen to the news and engage them in discussion over the current issues. Mr. Krueger Sr. would have been proud to see how well his son has maintained his passion for current events.

Kevin has had many successes representing his constituency in Victoria. One of his most recent is the legislation creating Thompson Rivers University, which transforms the University College of the Cariboo into a unique special purpose university. Kevin has proven himself a tireless worker on behalf of his constituents through many initiatives in his riding, including:

• Water Treatment Centre: Working with the City of Kamloops and the Federal government to have a state of the art water treatment centre built in Kamloops.
• Clearwater Hospital: Getting the people of Clearwater the hospital they were promised in the 1990s.
• Wildfires of 2003: Ensured the government responded to the needs of North Thompson communities after the devastating fires of Summer 2003, resulting in $5 million in assistance to the valley.
• Community Forests: Helping community groups in Clearwater and Barriere receive approval to apply for Community Forest Licenses, and nearly 1.4 million cubic meters of salvage logs.
• Restoring Local Industry: Working with the Ministry of Transportation to acquire the old Tolko Mill site as a Barriere and Louis Creek community industrial park.
• Trades Training Program: Working with the Secwepemc Chiefs to establish the Residential Building Maintenance Worker Program, a trades training program delivered through the Secwepemc Cultural Education Society.
• Highway Improvements: Pursuing highway improvements on Highway 5 at Pigs Corner, Highway 1 at Hoffman’s Bluff, as well as Dunn Lake Road, Tod Mountain Road, the entrance to Sun Peaks and the Cache Creek to Rockies Corridor.
• Hospital Chaplaincy: Fundraising for the Chaplaincy Program at Royal Inland Hospital through community golf tournaments. Without these funds the program would cease to exist.
• Psychiatric Clinic: Bringing to fruition the promise to build the Interior Psychiatric Clinic in Kamloops, a $20 million annual operating budget, providing patient care much closer to home.

Kevin married Debbie, whom he met during his years at the University of British Columbia, at 19 and began a career with ICBC at 21 as a Claims Adjuster. He and Debbie have six children, including two daughters-in-law and a son-in-law. Kevin is always keen to share a picture and a sweet story about one of their seven beautiful grandchildren.