Kevin Krueger out, Stephanie Cadieux is in on arts portfolio

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      Premier Gordon Campbell’s cabinet shuffle has moved Kevin Krueger off the arts portfolio, and brought former backbencher Stephanie Cadieux in.

      Former Minister for Tourism, Culture, and the Arts Krueger, whose work with the arts community has been mired with confrontation (in September, he complained that he felt threatened in a meeting with the Alliance for Arts and Culture, likening the arts advocacy group to “a junkie waving a needle”), has been moved to the Ministry of Social Development, and Cadieux has been appointed Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

      The new cabinet makes no mention of the word “Arts” anywhere, and merges Sport and Culture. Tourism is now to be handled by former education minister, Margaret MacDiarmid, who has been named Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment.

      Gaming policy, which covers gaming grants, remains the domain of former Minister of Housing and Social Development Rich Coleman, who has been named Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and takes the gaming portfolio with him.

      Cadieux, MLA for Surrey-Panorama, who suffered a spinal chord injury at the age of 18 in a car accident, is a former director of marketing and development for the BC Paraplegic Association, and a former manager of accessibility for 2010 Legacies Now.

      She is a past president of Realwheels Society, a Vancouver-based professional theatre company that promotes positive role models for people with disabilities. The company produced the plays Skydive and SPINE.

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      Comments

      8 Comments

      Don Tran

      Oct 25, 2010 at 2:59pm

      It doesn't matter who you put in Cabinet. Stephanie is still a Liberal and the liberals are in trouble.

      W. Kibble

      Oct 25, 2010 at 3:05pm

      I know people are concerned about the renaming of the Department and the dropping of the word 'Arts' but I don't think it's hugely significant. 'Culture' is a powerful word and contains without diminishing 'Arts'. (for example the UK's equivalent department which gives money to Arts Council England is 'Department of Culture, Media and Sport) It won't ultimately affect the policy and financial decisions of the government, for better or worse. Best wishes and luck to Stephanie Cadieux.

      East Van Arts

      Oct 25, 2010 at 3:38pm

      Let's hope she owns more courage, a deeper commitment, and a clearer head than the hopeless Kevin Kreuger.

      When even Gordon Campbell realizes something is wrong, then something is very very wrong indeed. It's hard to imagine a more incompetent and ill-informed arts minister than Mr Kreuger. Just by not being him, Ms Cadieux is off to a good start.

      jack thompson

      Oct 25, 2010 at 5:12pm

      good riddance. how long until the election? best of luck to Stephanie.

      tedster

      Oct 25, 2010 at 6:10pm

      Best of luck to Stephanie Cadieux.

      The government has a minister knowledgeable of and committed to the non-profit business model, and who has been president of an arts society.

      Sweet roll-out, Minister Cadieux!

      Artsworker

      Oct 26, 2010 at 7:52am

      the devil will be in the details

      let's see how empowered the culture portfolio will be in this new ministry

      thankfully the all consuming tourism emphasis will be diminished

      best of luck Mme Cadieux - it won't take much to do a better job - hope you take up the challenge

      Charlie Jack

      Oct 26, 2010 at 12:27pm

      Krueger was a dolt, but he was Gordon Campbell's dolt. Where did the decision to take away and then restore funding for the BC Arts Council come from. Not from within the ministry, you can be sure.

      Paulo Ribeiro

      Oct 26, 2010 at 3:07pm

      This is a huge improvement. Too bad the Portfolio no longer includes "ARTS" in the title...