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Clovechok named opposition critic for Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Arts

Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA will share portfolio with MLA Michelle Stillwell
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Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok. ~ Photo contributed

Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok was named the opposition critic for tourism culture and arts last week,

Clovechok will share the roll with Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stillwell. We e-mailed Clovechok four questions about the post. Here are his responses:

1. How do you feel about receiving this posting?

I am really excited by this opportunity to serve my constituents in this capacity. Columbia River-Revelstoke has multiple and vibrant arts and culture communities that I am looking forward to getting to know better. Tourism is also the bread and butter of so many of our communities so I am thrilled again to represent people in this new capacity, not only in CR-R but throughout the province.

I am also very excited to work with Michelle. Over the past five years I have gotten to know her and she is an amazing and effective person and politician. I have never had the opportunity to work with a multiple gold medal athlete so I am sure this is going to be fun and learning experience.

Most of all we will be holding the NDP government accountable to British Columbians for their policies and actions in these areas.

2. What experience do you bring to the position?

I bring to this position more than 20 years of tourism experience from working with Princess Tours, a subsidiary of Princess Cruises. I had the honour to manage all of the Canadian Rockies tour product between Calgary and Vancouver as well as the East Coast Tour product between Toronto and Quebec City. I also spent time on the development of new tour products that included Costa Rica and Nicaragua and travelled extensively in Central America. As a cultural member of the Pikanni First Nation and member of the Weasle Traveller family, I have worked on First Nations tourism projects and recognize the growing potential of this tourism sector in B.C.

3. What policies would you like to see the NDP pursue relating to the portfolio?

Both Michelle and I have already reviewed John Horgan’s mandate letter to Tourism Minister Lisa Beare. We will be meeting soon to discuss the development of our strategic plan in relation to this mandate letter. In the end our plan will include input from tourism stakeholders and we both look forward to meeting tourism partners throughout B.C.

4. How do you and MLA Michelle Stillwell plan to share the role?

Michelle and I have briefly spoken today and we will formulate a strategic plan in the near future. Michelle and her son and husband were recently here in the Kootenays and Susan and I had them over for a barbecue. We share similar values and I know that we are going to make a very formidable team.