Not everyone gets to call the Prime Minister "boss", but Margaret Krueger does. The 1975 graduate of the Executive Secretarial Science Program at the Pembroke Campus of Algonquin College has had an exceptional career that has led her to the highest office in the land - working for Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on Parliament Hill.

Krueger's title is Assistant Caucus, Office of the Prime Minister, and it's a position that Krueger says is never dull: "I don't think I will ever get over the feeling of awe when walking the halls of the centre block of the Parliament buildings. It's where my office is, and it is truly an honour and privilege to be a part of the PMO staff." For this energetic Pembroke native, being at the centre of politics wasn't supposed to be in the cards. After graduating from Algonquin, Krueger set out for a career as a secretary and quickly landed her first job working as an assistant manager at a company in Ottawa.

She stayed for a couple of years before getting what she now considers her first big break. She joined a law firm in Ottawa, a position that provided her with two years of full-time employment and enough experience to earn herself a place back home in Pembroke with the law firm of McCann and Sheppard. That's where the political bug first hit Krueger. One of her employers was a good friend of Hector Clouthier, a Pembroke businessman in the midst of campaigning for a Liberal seat in the riding of Renfrew-Nipissing- Pembroke. Krueger explains: "It was the late 1980's and my employer Bob Sheppard asked me if I would be interested in helping out on the campaign. I took him up on the offer and really enjoyed the energy of politics". She became heavily involved in Clouthier's campaign and remained faithful over the years as Clouthier continued to seek office.

In the meantime, Krueger had changed jobs and was working in a clerical position in the Physiotherapy Department of the Pembroke General Hospital. She might still be working there today had she not received a call from Hec Clouthier. Having just won a seat in parliament in the '97 federal election, Clouthier asked Margaret if she was interested in working as constituency assistant in his Pembroke office. This is where she really learned about the political process and the issues that concerned individual citizens in the community. She fulfilled this role until 2000, when the federal Liberals were upset in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke.

The change in the riding's political colours left Krueger unexpectedly unemployed, yet four months later, Clouthier came calling again. That call catapulted Krueger's career to a new level - working in the nation's capital in the centre of Canadian politics. Clouthier had been hired as a special assistant to the Prime Minister and now he wanted to bring Krueger on board in the role she continues to fulfill in the PMO. "The job is very interesting and exciting. You constantly go from one issue to the next and are never certain about the kind of unexpected issues that may arise and have to be dealt with immediately", she explains. Even though she works in Ottawa, Krueger still calls Pembroke home, underplaying the down side of having to spend countless hours on the road, or having to stay in Ottawa away from her family when weather or late hours prevent a safe commute back to the Valley.

When it comes to her studies at Algonquin College, Krueger has fond memories. "We had a lot of great times at Algonquin, from pubs to playing cards, and I still keep in touch with many of the classmates I met in school. I continue to go back to Algonquin and have taken several evening courses over the years to keep my office skills current."

College classmate Brenda Chartrand, who works at Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley, continues to be good friends with Margaret: "Margaret's professional success comes as no surprise to me. As a friend of more than 30 years, Margaret has proven to be loyal, courageous, determined, and above all - lots of fun".

These sentiments are echoed by lawyer Bob Sheppard, former employer of 10 years, and the man first responsible for getting her involved with the political life. "Margaret is a really hard worker and extremely competent. She could come into my office tomorrow and pick up where she left off", says Sheppard. "At the same time, she is very outgoing; always upbeat and optimistic, and unbelievably loyal to people. I was sad to see her leave my office", he added.

Krueger has appreciated the support she has received from her family. She and her husband Denis will celebrate 25 years of marriage this June. They have two daughters, 22-year old Mandy who is currently completing her Bachelor of Education degree, and 19-year old Angie who recently graduated from Bishop Smith Catholic High School in Pembroke. Krueger feels fortunate to be employed in the Prime Minister's Office, a privilege that few Canadians will ever have the opportunity to experience. And it all began simply enough, with an application to Algonquin College.