Monday November 18, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 10:34 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC NDP Premier David Eby unveiled his new Cabinet today, from among his slim majority of 48 MLAs in the 43rd BC Parliament.
Eby has appointed 23 ministers and four ministers of state. Including himself, the number of MLAs in the new cabinet remains at 28 (as in his previous cabinet).
He has also done a first-time-thing in appointing additional responsibilities to all the other NDP MLAs as well.
Swearing-in event:
The swearing-in ceremony was officiated by Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin at Government House.
Cabinet appointments were announced by Eby, giving each new member of cabinet a handshake or a hug before turning to pose for a quick photo.
Timeline:
One short sitting of the Legislative Assembly will take place this fall, for the election of a Speaker. Otherwise, the first full session of the 43 Parliament is expected to come mid-February, with delivery of Budget 2025.
Mandate letters will be issued to ministers and ministers of state in the new year.
Between now and February, Eby said today that his MLAs will be listening to British Columbians so that his government can set priorities — especially so because of his “narrow majority”.
BC Greens play a role:
As well, Eby says that discussions with the BC Green Party continue, as to their hoped-for support and collaboration on helping the NDP maintain government for a full four-year term.
With only 47 MLAs, Eby has reason to worry about not having enough MLAs in the House for votes to pass legislation (people can be absent or away for a number of reasons); with relatively assured BC Green MLA support for votes, this will contribute to some stability of the 43rd Parliament.
Cabinet ministers returning and new:
In this new 28-member cabinet, 22 ministers are re-elected*/returning** MLAs.
Ministers & Ministers of State:
List of new cabinet portfolios, ministers and ministers of state (with some basic background and analysis).
- Premier: David Eby* (This is Eby’s first full election to be Premier; he was previously shifted into the role when former Premier John Horgan stepped down from being Premier in Nov 2022).
- Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities: Brittny Anderson*
- Agriculture and Food: Lana Popham* (This is likely a happy return for Popham who held the agriculture and food portfolio during 2017-2022)
- Attorney General and Deputy Premier: Niki Sharma* (was previously Attorney General, 2022-2024)
- Children and Family Development: Grace Lore* (was previous Minister of Children and Family Development in 2024)
- Citizens’ Services: George Chow*
- Education and Child Care: Lisa Beare* (was previously Minister of Post-Secondary earlier in 2024)
- Minister of State for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs: Jodie Wickens**
- Emergency Management and Climate Readiness: Kelly Greene*
- Energy and Climate Solutions: Adrian Dix* (was Health minister for seven years; when in opposition 2014-2017 he held the Energy file)
- Environment and Parks: Tamara Davidson
- Finance: Brenda Bailey* (Bailey was previously the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation)
- Forests: Ravi Parmar* (Parmar was previously the Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials in 2024)
- Health: Josie Osborne* (was previously the minister for Energy & Low Carbon Innovation; mental health & addictions will now be included within Health instead of being a separate ministry)
- Housing and Municipal Affairs: Ravi Kahlon* (was Housing Minister from Dec 2022; adding Municipal Affairs makes sense as most housing legislation requires the involvement of municipalities)
- Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation: Christine Boyle
- Infrastructure: Bowinn Ma* (this ministry will consider standardization of all types of infrastructure projects such as hospitals, schools, UPCCs, transit and roads)
- Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation: Diana Gibson
- Minister of State for Trade: Rick Glumac*
- Labour: Jennifer Whiteside* (Whiteside has a long history in the labour movement)
- Mining and Critical Minerals: Jagrup Brar*
- Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills: Anne Kang*
- Public Safety and Solicitor General: Garry Begg
- Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services: Terry Yung
- Social Development and Poverty Reduction: Sheila Malcolmson* (Malcolmson has previously held this portfolio)
- Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Spencer Chandra Herbert* (This is Herbert’s first ministerial portfolio)
- Transportation and Transit and House Leader: Mike Farnworth (Farnworth was previously the Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety)
- Water, Land and Resource Stewardship: Randene Neill
Additional roles:
The cabinet will be supported in its work by 14 parliamentary secretaries. This is an important nod to all the BC NDP MLAs that worked hard to get elected in the October 19, 2024 election.
This strategy will also shore up the level of experience of news MLAs with the exception of Harwinder Sandhu who was first elected in 2020 and Joan Phillips who won a by-election in June 2023, all of these Parliamentary Secretaries are newly-elected:
Parliamentary Secretaries:
- Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives: Jessie Sunner
- Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture: Harwinder Sandhu (Sandhu’s riding is Vernon-Monashee, which helps to balance the more urban approach to agriculture that Minister Popham may take)
- Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity: Jennifer Blatherwick
- Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development: Steve Morrisette
- Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care: Susie Chant
- Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health: Debra Toporoski
- Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health and Addictions: Amna Shah
- Parliamentary Secretary for Asia Pacific Trade: Paul Choi
- Parliamentary Secretary for Labour: Darlene Rotchford
- Parliamentary Secretary for International Credentials: Sunita Dhir
- Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility: Dana Lajeunesse
- Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-profits: Joan Phillip
- Parliamentary Secretary for Transit: George Anderson
- Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film: Nina Krieger
===== RELATED:
- BC NDP cabinet appointments on November 18 (November 17 and 18, 2024)
- Book of Condolences for John Horgan in the west shore (November 15, 2024)
- BC NDP Caucus sworn in on November 13 (November 13, 2024)
- Remembering John Horgan: book of condolences (November 13, 2024)
- John Horgan passed away at age 65 (November 12, 2024)
- New BC NDP Cabinet to be sworn-in Nov 18 (November 6, 2024)
- Elections BC admits to ballot box errors (November 6, 2024)
- Choosing a Speaker can be tricky (October 30, 2024)
- Cabinet possibilities in slim 47-seat BC NDP majority (October 28, 2024)
- First day on the new job for Eby & Rustad (October 29, 2024)
- New Eby Cabinet announcement Dec 7, 2022 (December 7, 2022)
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