Monday, March 14, 2011

BC Liberals Latest Dream Team

Premier Christy Clark was sworn in today, March 14th, in Victoria as BC's 35th Premier.

Clark's New Dream Team Cabinet:
  • Kevin Falcon, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance. (Ed: keep your enemies closer?)
  • Mary Polak, Minister of Aboriginal Relations.
  • Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of Advanced Education.
  • Don McRae, Minister of Agriculture.
  • Barry Penner, Attorney General.
  • Mary McNeil, Minister of Children and Family Development.
  • Ida Chong, Minister Community Sport and Cultural Development.
  • George Abbott, Minister of Education.
  • Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Housing.
  • Terry Lake, Minister of Environment.
  • Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
  • Mike de Jong, Minister of Health.
  • Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.
  • Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Labour, Citizens Services and Open Government.
  • Shirley Bond, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
  • Harry Bloy, Minister of Social Development and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism.
  • Blair Lekstom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
  • Rich Coleman will serve as the Government House Leader.
  • Terry Lake will be the deputy Government House Leader.
  • Ben Stewart will be the Government whip.
Other changes the Sun points out:
  • "Five members of the last cabinet are gone: Colin Hansen, Murray Coell, Moira Stilwell, John Yap and Margaret MacDiarmid."
  • Clark brought energy, mines together into one portfolio.
  • She linked forestry, lands and natural resource operations under its own ministry.
  • Created a new ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation.
  • New ministry of Labour, Citizens’ services and Open Government
Some choices quotes:

"Now it’s time for our government to reach out to those families for whom the great promise of British Columbia may have remained elusive. and that works starts now.”

She promised “real and tangible” steps in coming weeks to help families, and said government will be more open and explain its decisions to British Columbians.

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New Premier Names Her Cabinet
CBC News, March 14th, 2011.

Clark cut the size of cabinet from 23 to 18, including herself, meaning a large number former premier Gordon Campbell's ministers will now be sitting on the backbenches of the legislature.

Clark also named another 10 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries to work with ministers to focus on key initiatives of government.

Amongst those who did not get a seat at the cabinet table were former deputy premeir and finance minister Colin Hansen, and Kevin Krueger.

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Moira Stilwel Sidelined in Christy Clark's Cabinet, Sources Say

Gary Mason & Ian Bailey, Globe & Mail, March 14, 2011.

Excerpts:

Dr. Stilwell, a former cabinet minister, will not be one of Ms. Clark’s ministers. Instead, she will be named parliamentary secretary in charge of innovation. She will have a reporting relationship with the minister in charge of a newly-created portfolio for jobs.

Dr. Stilwell’s demotion is surprising. A physician trained in nuclear medicine, Dr. Stilwell is one of the brightest minds in the Liberal caucus.

She was one of Mr. Campbell’s must trustworthy ministers and performed well in colleges and regional economic development, the last post she held before resigning to run for the Liberal leadership. But it was during her unlikely bid for the leadership that Dr. Stilwell shone, impressing many with her thoughtful and articulate responses on a range of policy topics.

As the ink dries on the new government letterheads, we all have no choice but to wait and see how all of this is going to play out for BC citizens.

Next up - when & where will Premier Clark run in a by-election and who will run against her from the NDP?