Christy Clark names minority government cabinet

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VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – Premier Christy Clark and her cabinet have been sworn-in today in what is expected to be a short-lived Liberal government in British Columbia.

The swearing-in at Government House in Victoria comes in advance of the start of the legislature on June 22.

The cabinet is made up of 13 men and nine women, five of whom are new ministers.

Mike de Jong is still the Minister of Finance. Stephanie Cadieux is still the Children and Family Development Minister. Shirley Bond continues to lead the jobs portfolio and Mike Bernier will continue to run the Education Ministry.

Mary Polak has been named the health minister and new MLA Jas Johal is the Minister of Technology and Innovation.

Ellis Ross is BC’s first indigenous cabinet minister with a portfolio, as he takes over at natural gas development and housing.

“Our province needs a strong economy, one capable of supporting the services and high quality of life that British Columbians expect and deserve,” said Premier Clark. “But the public has also said they want us to do things differently to address areas that impact their lives and their families every day – this new cabinet reflects that message.”

Clark has said she intends to test her government and present a throne speech, but she also said she expects to lose the confidence vote that would follow.

No political party secured a majority after last month’s provincial election, and the three Green members have placed their support behind the New Democratic Party, giving that coalition 44 seats to the Liberals 43.

Because the Liberals have the most seats of any one party, parliamentary convention requires that Clark and her ministers receive the first chance to form government.

Clark admits the 22-member Executive Council may only be in power a couple weeks.

“We are in caretaker mode, so we’re not pursuing any major new policy changes which is why you saw, it’s pretty much a stand-pat cabinet –haven’t changed the titles of a whole bunch of ministries and we’re not carving them up and changing the letterhead and that kind of thing,” she says.

Clark says her government will put forward a Liberal member to serve as Speaker when the legislature is recalled, but she didn’t say who that person will be.

NDP House Leader Mike Farnworth says Clark’s just wasting time.

“I noticed in the UK, they managed to get everything done literally in three days. Recounts, new cabinet, Throne Speech in three days. Why is it taking so long to get the legislature back to work?”

The cabinet list: 

-Andrew Wilkinson, justice minister and attorney general.

-Norm Letnick, agriculture minister.

-Stephanie Cadieux, children and family development minister.

-Mike Bernier, education minister.

-Mary Polak, health minister.

-Mike de Jong, finance minister.

-Steve Thomson, minister of forests, lands and natural resource operations.

-Donna Barnett, minister of state for rural economic development.

-Teresa Wat, minister of international trade, minister responsible for the Asia Pacific strategy and multiculturalism.

-Shirley Bond, minister of jobs, tourism and skills training, minister responsible for labour.

-Mike Morris, solicitor general and public safety minister.

-Coralee Oakes, minister of small business and red tape reduction, minister responsible for the liquor distribution branch.

-Rich Coleman, energy and mines minister.

-Michelle Stilwell, minister of social development and social innovation.

-Todd Stone, minister of transportation and infrastructure.

-Ellis Ross, minister of natural gas development, minister responsible for housing.

-Jas Johal, minister of technology, innovation and citizens’ services.

-Sam Sullivan, minister of community, sport and cultural development.

-Jordan Sturdy, environment minister.

-Linda Reid, minister of advanced education.

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