Tuesday February 20, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated February 21, 2024]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
With no fanfare whatsoever, a mini BC cabinet shuffle has happened on the morning of the Spring Session Throne Speech.
This morning in a news release just after 8 am, Premier David Eby announced his appointment of two work-hard NDP MLAs to new positions in cabinet:
- Lisa Beare is now the Minister of Post-Secondary and Future Skills. She was previously the Minister of Citizens’ Services. She takes over in the Post-Secondary and Future Skills role in the wake of former Post-Secondary and Future Skills Minister Selina Robinson being recently ousted from that post over incidents of political correctness. A stalwart NDP MLA since her election in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows in 2017, Beare was of Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (under former Premier John Horgan) before serving as Minister of Citizens’ Services. She holds a diploma in local government management from the University of Victoria and was a school trustee with SD42 (Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows) from 2014 to 2017.
- George Chow now steps into the role of Minister of Citizens’ Services. He had most recently held the role of Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials and Minister of State for Trade. MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview (elected 2017 and 2020), Chow also assisted the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in establishing Canada’s first Chinese Canadian Museum. Prior to this, he served two terms on Vancouver City Council from 2005 to 2011.
The first Spring Session day of the BC Legislative Assembly is tomorrow, February 21. [See Spring 2024 BC Parliamentary Calendar]
Budget 2024 will be announced on Thursday (February 22, 2024). This is an election year, with the next provincial election scheduled for October 19, 2024.
Dedicated to supporting people:
“Lisa and George have tremendous experience, and in these new roles they will both be dedicated to supporting people,” Premier Eby said in this morning’s new release.
“We have made incredible progress in modernizing services that people depend on, like delivering high-speed internet to more communities. George will continue that work, as well as further our important anti-racism data initiatives.”
“A key challenge in the years ahead is to make sure everyone in B.C. can seize the opportunities ahead of us,” Premier Eby said. “I know that Lisa will do a great job ensuring that British Columbians are equipped to close the skills gap employers are facing.”
On social media, Minister Beare said: “The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills is doing important work– from the #StrongerBC Future Ready Action Plan to fair credential recognition. Honoured @Dave_Eby appointed me Minister and excited to continue this work so people can get the skills they need!”
New MLA moving up:
Premier Eby has also appointed Ravi Parmar, MLA (Langford-Juan de Fuca), as Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials. His role will be to support the Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to remove barriers for internationally educated professionals to work in British Columbia, the premier’s statement said.
Parmar has been riding the wave of rapid accession under the NDP wing. He was an SD62 school board trustee (most of time as board chair) in former Premier John Horgan’s riding during 2014-2023. Despite running again as school trustee in October 2022, in spring 2023 Parmar announced his intention to run for the MLA post vacated by Horgan in Langford-Juan de Fuca; Parmar won the June 2023 Langford-Juan de Fuca by-election and was sworn in as MLA in July 2023.
Back in August 2023, Parmar shared a press conference with Lisa Beare about the BC demographic survey when Beare was Minister of Citizens’ Services.
Comments from the leadership community:
- “Congratulations Lisa Beare on your appointment as Minister of Post-Secondary Education & Future Skills, and to new Parliamentary Secretary Ravi Parmar. We look forward to supporting your work to equip people with life-changing education. Looking forward to seeing you on campus.” ~ Dr Lane Trotter, President, Camosun College (posted in social media)
- “Congratulations Lisa Beare on your appointment as the Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. My congratulations as well to Ravi Parmar for being appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials. I am eager and enthusiastic about collaborating with you both to further higher education priorities in BC.” ~ Dr Philip Steenkamp, President, Royal Roads University (posted in social media)
- “Thrilled to welcome @UVic_Alumni Minister Lisa Beare and Parliamentary Secretary Ravi Parmar to their new roles in the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. My colleagues at UVic and I are looking forward to working with you both!” ~ Kevin Hall, President, University of Victoria.
===== RELATED:
- Premier’s budget preview in community chat format (February 19, 2024)
- Eby boots Selina Robinson from cabinet (February 5, 2024)
- BC Demographic Survey extended to Oct 15 (August 25, 2024)
- BC NDP government sets heavy-duty 2024 parliamentary calendar (December 1, 2023)
- Ravi Parmar’s first day in the BC Legislative Assembly (October 3, 2023)
- Ravi Parmar to be sworn in as MLA on July 28 (July 12, 2023)
- Parmar picks up the Horgan torch in Langford-Juan de Fuca (June 24, 2023)
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends has been covering BC politics (with a focus on the west shore, and all with a socioeconomic lens) since 2011. The previous mastheads were Sooke Voice News (weekly print newspaper 2011-2013) and West Shore Voice News (weekly print newspaper 2014-2020) until Island Social Trends launched online in summer 2020 at IslandSocialTrends.ca .
Island Social Trends is now also in print (biweekly) starting 2024 as found in coffee shops, rec centres, libraries and some retail outlets; Premium PDF available by email.
Mary P Brooke is the founder and editor for all of the news publications in this series. She is a local news publisher in Langford, BC.