Gordon Campbell is British Columbia's 34th premier. His government was first sworn into office on June 5, 2001 with the largest majority in B.C. history. He was re-elected on May 17, 2005, making him the first premier in 22 years, and only the fifth in B.C. history, to be elected to two consecutive terms.

In 2001, Mr. Campbell's government inherited a provincial economy that through the 1990s had become one of the worst in Canada. Mr. Campbell and the B.C. Liberals vowed to revive the economy and bring in a new era of hope and prosperity through major reforms.

Bold tax cuts on the first day in office sent the clear signal that B.C. was open for business. B.C. now has the lowest personal income tax rates in the country for lower- and middle-income earners, and now leads the nation in economic growth, job creation, and business optimism. The provincial budget has been balanced, laying the foundation for long-term fiscal sustainability - in fact, in 2005 the Campbell government was able to make the largest single-year paydown of provincial debt in B.C's history.

This strong economic and fiscal foundation has given the B.C. government more resources to make long-term investments in health care, education, and supports for people in need. The Campbell government has nearly doubled the number of doctors in training, and added over 2,500 new nurse-training spaces since 2001. The government has built, updated, or renovated more than 4,000 residential care and assisted living units for seniors since 2001.

The Campbell government has added $2 billion to the annual education budget (between 2001 and 2007) and is in the midst of adding 25,000 post-secondary spaces with new universities in Kamloops, Kelowna, and a new Simon Fraser University campus in Surrey.

During Mr. Campbell's first term, British Columbia was awarded the right to host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The Campbell government's re-election in 2005 was based on a platform of achieving five Great Goals for a Golden Decade:

1. To make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent.
2. To lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness.
3. To build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors.
4. To lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management, bar none.
5. To create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

Mr. Campbell previously served three terms as mayor of Vancouver, from 1986 to 1993. Throughout his time in public office, Mr. Campbell has shown himself to be a leader who delivers results. He is a reformer who believes in the power of ideas to strengthen our public institutions.

Gordon Campbell and his wife Nancy - a principal of Howe Sound Secondary in Squamish - have two grown sons, Geoffrey and Nicholas. Mr. Campbell was born in Vancouver.