Tom Christensen (politician)

Tom Christensen
Tom Christensen
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly; for Okanagan-Vernon
	In office; May 16, 2001 – May 12, 2009
Preceded by	April Sanders
Succeeded by	Eric Foster
Minister of Education of British Columbia
	In office; January 26, 2004 – June 16, 2005
Premier	Gordon Campbell
Preceded by	Christy Clark
Succeeded by	Shirley Bond
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation of British Columbia
	In office; June 16, 2005 – August 15, 2006
Premier	Gordon Campbell
Preceded by	Geoff Plant (Treaty Negotiations); Murray Coell (Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services)
Succeeded by	Michael de Jong
Minister of Children and Family Development of British Columbia
	In office; August 15, 2006 – June 10, 2009
Premier	Gordon Campbell
Preceded by	Stan Hagen
Succeeded by	Mary Polak
Personal details
Born	1966; Vernon, British Columbia
Political party	BC Liberal
Alma mater	University of Victoria
Profession	lawyer

Tom Christensen (born 1966)^[1]^[2] is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the electoral district of Okanagan-Vernon from 2001 to 2009. A caucus member of the British Columbia Liberal Party, he served in several cabinet posts under Premier Gordon Campbell.

Biography

Born in Vernon, British Columbia, he attended the University of Victoria, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in geography and environmental studies in 1990, and a law degree in 1994.^[2]^[3] He was called to the British Columbia bar in 1995 and practised at Davidson & Company, becoming partner in 1999.^[2]^[3]

He ran as a candidate for the British Columbia Liberal Party in the 2001 provincial election, and was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly for Okanagan-Vernon.^[3] He was appointed to the cabinet in January 2004 to serve as Minister of Education.^[4]

After being returned in the 2005 election with a margin of 2,571 votes,^[5] he was named Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.^[4] He was subsequently re-assigned as Minister of Children and Family Development in August 2006 as part of a cabinet shuffle.^[4]^[6] He did not seek re-election in 2009.^[7]