The new cabinet, unveiled Wednesday, shows an effort to balance gender, ethnicity, regional representation and experience. Niki Sharma takes over as attorney general, and Katrine Conroy as finance minister.
B.C. Premier David Eby’s new cabinet unveiled Wednesday morning retains Vancouver Island’s power base of seven cabinet ministers — though some have new posts. The new appointments were sworn in by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin at Government House.
In announcing he was stepping down, former premier John Horgan had said it was time for “generational change,” but Eby’s cabinet also shows an effort to balance gender, ethnicity, regional representation and experience.
The new cabinet includes 23 ministers — three more than the last one — and four ministers of state. Nine members are new.
Eby said the cabinet represents the diversity of the province. “There are people bringing incredible experience and diversity of perspectives to the table.”
In key roles are Niki Sharma as attorney general — she earned a standing ovation as she was sworn in — Katrine Conroy as finance minister replacing Selina Robinson, and Health Minister Adrian Dix, who retains his post as expected.
Sharma replaces Oak Bay MLA Murray Rankin as attorney general, but Mike Farnworth remains solicitor general and public safety minister.
Rachna Singh has been appointed education and child care minister, with Victoria-Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore as minister of state for child care. Lore had been parliamentary secretary for gender equity.
Ravi Kahlon, viewed as a key NDP leadership candidate before he endorsed Eby, was appointed minister of the new Housing Ministry and government house leader.
The only Island cabinet ministers to keep the same posts are Transportation Minister Rob Fleming, representing Victoria-Swan Lake, and Minister of Children and Family Development Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin.
Rankin stays on as minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation.
Saanich South MLA Lana Popham MLA moves to tourism, arts, culture and sport from agriculture and food, while Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne moves to energy, mines and low carbon innovation from her former post as minister of land, water and resource stewardship.
Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo, moves to head the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction from her former post as minister of mental health and addictions, where she led the effort to reduce toxic drug overdose deaths.
Those sworn in showed their appreciation to Austin and Eby with fist bumps, official hand shakes and hugs.
Eby said his team is ready to take on the big challenge the province faces — global inflation that is driving up the cost of essentials such as groceries, global economic uncertainty, health-care systems across Canada under strain, small businesses struggling to find employees as the economy grows, climate disasters, and the toxic drug overdose crisis.
“If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we can’t solve these problems alone,” said Eby. “We need to solve them together.
David Black, a political communications expert at Royal Roads University, sees the cabinet shakeup as tied to what he believes will be an early fall 2023 provincial election, despite a fixed election date of October 2024.
“Why would you wait until 2024?” said Black, noting Eby has already announced up to $1 billion in spending on key priorities, including everything from public safety initiatives — such as bolstering RCMP members — to health supports, including funding for a new medical school at Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus, and new harm-reduction and treatment services.
The government posted a $5.7-billion surplus and by the spring, Eby is expected to have made all his announcements under his 100-day action plan, Black said. Furthermore, a potential recession and low growth is forecast for next year.
“The political calculus for a 2024 election becomes less persuasive and fixed election laws are the most breakable laws in the federation and I don’t put much faith in them,” said Black.about:blank
The new cabinet
• Premier: David Eby
• Agriculture and Food: Pam Alexis
• Attorney General: Niki Sharma
• Children and Family Development: Mitzi Dean
• Citizens’ Services: Lisa Beare
• Education and Child Care: Rachna Singh
• Minister of State for Child Care: Grace Lore
• Emergency Management and Climate Change Readiness: Bowinn Ma
• Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation: Josie Osborne
• Environment and Climate Change Strategy: George Heyman
• Finance: Katrine Conroy
• Forests: Bruce Ralston
• Health: Adrian Dix
• Housing and Government House Leader: Ravi Kahlon
• Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation: Murray Rankin
• Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation: Brenda Bailey
• Minister of State for Trade: Jagrup Brar
• Labour: Harry Bains
• Mental Health and Addictions: Jennifer Whiteside
• Municipal Affairs: Anne Kang
• Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills: Selina Robinson
• Minister of State for Workforce Development: Andrew Mercier
• Public Safety and Solicitor General (ICBC): Mike Farnworth
• Social Development and Poverty Reduction: Sheila Malcolmson
• Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Lana Popham
• Transportation and Infrastructure (BC Transit and TransLink): Rob Fleming
• Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit: Dan Coulter
• Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (Fisheries): Nathan Cullen
New parliamentary secretaries:
• Anti-Racism Initiatives: Mable Elmore
• Emergency Preparedness: Jennifer Rice
• Sustainable Economy: Adam Walker
• Environment: Aman Singh
• Gender Equity: Kelli Paddon
• Forests: Doug Routley
• Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care: Harwinder Sandhu
• Rural Development: Roly Russell
• Labour: Janet Routledge
• Accessibility: Susie Chant
• Community Development and Non-profits: Megan Dykeman
• Arts and Film: Bob D’Eith
• Tourism and Premier’s Special Advisor on Youth: Brittny Anderson
• Fisheries and Aquaculture: Kelly Greene
Source/Richmond News
