Nelson Riis

Nelson served Kamloops and region longer than any other politician, over 25 years continuous service as MP, Kamloops City Councilor, and School Board Trustee.  He was M.P. for Kamloops (New Democratic Party). He has a B.Ed. and an M.A. in geography from the University of British Columbia. Mr. Riis has taught in schools, colleges, and universities. He was alderman on the Council of the City of Kamloops from 1973 to 1978, director of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, and trustee for Kamloops School District from 1978 until his election to Parliament in 1980.  After his election to Parliament, Riis has been the New Democratic Party's spokesperson for Small Business, Regional Expansion, and Finance. Then he was Parliamentary House Leader for the Federal Caucus.  Following his defeat in 2000 he entered business and is vice-president of Rockport which makes engineered concrete homes for the developing world.  (From website)

Donald Mclean

Don was a fur trader (b 1805, Tobermory, Scotland; d 17 July 1864 near Chilko Lake). He joined the HBC in 1833 and served in the Oregon Territory until he transferred to Fort Alexandria on the upper Fraser River in 1842. For the next 18 years he rose through the ranks, serving at different posts in New Caledonia until he was put in charge of Fort Kamloops in 1855. He was an effective trader known for harsh treatment of his First Nations clients. In 1860 he resigned from the HBC rather than accept a transfer out of BC. With his family he settled at Hat Creek south of Clinton, where he farmed, raised livestock and ran a stopping place on the Cariboo Wagon Road. In 1864, during the so-called Chilcotin War, he joined the pursuit of the fugitive Tsilhqot'in and was shot and killed by one of them. His sons were members of the notorious Mclean Gang of outlaws. (from B.C. Encyclopedia)

Chief Louis

Clexlixqen (Louis) was a Secwepemc chief (b 1828, Kamloops; d 12 Apr 1915, Kamloops). He was a guide, trader and farmer and one of the wealthiest members of the Kamloops First Nation of the Secwepemc (Shuswap) people. After becoming chief in 1852 he converted to Catholicism and was active in supporting schools and other church activities on the reserve. He also played a leading role in asserting Secwepemc land claims and in trying to create an alliance among the Interior First Nations to pursue the land issue. He took part in a delegation to Great Britain to see Queen Victoria and in 1909 was a founding member of the Interior Tribes of BC. A painted portrait of Chief Louis hangs in the current Kamloops Chief's office. (from B.C. Encyclopedia)
 

Kamloops RCMP

Members of the RCMP come from across Canada to live and work in Kamloops. We know them by their faces and their deeds. Through the years they have coached sports teams, helped stranded travelers, educated kids on safety and drugs, assisted during car, boat and train accidents, disasters, fires and emergencies, come to the aid of hurt and distraught people. Kamloops RCMP have raised more than $500,000 for the bone marrow registry in aid of cancer research.

They give of themselves each and everyday that they come to work and sadly occasionally have given the ultimate sacrificed, their lives, to keep the streets and the citizens of Kamloops safe.

Three Kamloops RCMP died in June, 1962, while investigating reports of an armed gunman. They were (left to right) Const. Elwood Keck, 25; Const. Gordon Pedersen, 25; and Const. Donald Weisgerber, 23.

Our RCMP are remarkable Kamloopsians who are often called upon to do extraordinary things. (from Cpl. Fran Bethell)

Henry Small

 Henry was born on February 29th 1948. At an early age, young Henry picked up the violin and instantly became a child prodigy in his home town, Beacon, New York. In high school, being a violin player and suffering from a height deficiency, he was the victim of cruel bullying, until he discovered his violin case made an excellent weapon. From that day forward, Henry Small had the respect of his classmates. Soon he was the lead singer, writer and arranger for Scrubbaloe Caine formed with Paul Dean (Loverboy) and produced by David Kershenbaum from RCA Records. Small Wonder came next, which brought him a three year writers deal with Irving Almo Music. What followed was more writing, singing and unique violin playing, this time with Burton Cummings. He lives in Kamloops, BC co-hosting a morning radio show. He produces a dinner theatre for Rocky Mountaineer Railtours, which has been enjoyed by over 100,000 international guests. (From website)

James McIntosh

The "King of Kamloops" was a Kamloops entrepreneur (b 1842, Ottawa; d 23 June 1901, Kamloops). He came west to BC in 1862 and tried his luck at gold mining in the Cariboo and on Vancouver Island, then moved to Kamloops in 1864. In partnership with William Fortune he built a flour mill and sawmill at Tranquille, then became part of a partnership that built the Shuswap Milling Co. on the Kamloops waterfront in 1877. Over the next several years there was hardly a development in town in which McIntosh was not involved, including the waterworks, the electric light company and the first hospital. As a result he became known as the "King of Kamloops." (from B.C. Encyclopedia)