Philip Steenkamp, Deputy Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities

Philip Steenkamp was appointed Deputy Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, effective March 1, 2006, by Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Most recently, Dr. Steenkamp worked for the Province of British Columbia as Deputy Minister of Strategic Policy and Social Development, Office of the Premier. Prior to that, he held the position of Deputy Minister of Advanced Education, where he led the development of a long-term, comprehensive vision for post-secondary education designed to add 25,000 new student spaces by 2010.

Dr. Steenkamp began working for British Columbia's provincial government in 1994 at the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. He went on to become Chief Negotiator for treaties on Vancouver Island and in northern British Columbia, Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, and then Deputy Minister of the Treaty Negotiations Office.

Dr. Steenkamp attended the University of Natal in Durban, South Africa, graduating with a BA Honours in History and English, and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where he earned his MA and PhD in African history with a focus on migrant labour and economic development.

After teaching history at Queen's for two years and doing research for a year in Namibia, Dr. Steenkamp went to the University of Victoria in B.C., where he taught African and South African history.