Premier John Horgan has unveiled his latest cabinet after winning a majority in last month’s election, with one big surprise.
Victoria-Swan Lake MLA Rob Fleming was moved from Education to the new Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure while Jennifer Whiteside, the newly elected MLA in New Westminster, has been tapped to take over the education file.
Whiteside is the former business manager for the Hospital Employees’ Union and will be taking over the file in the middle of a contentious relationship with the BC Teachers’ Federation around teacher safety at schools because of COVID-19.
Fleming will be supported by Bowinn Ma, the MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale who will be the new Minister of State for Infrastructure.
In all, Horgan’s new cabinet has 20 ministers and four ministers of state. Cabinet will be supported by 13 parliamentary secretaries, with portfolios including Rural Development, Anti-Racism, and Technology and Innovation.
“The pandemic has turned the lives of British Columbians upside down,” Horgan said in a statement. “We have come a long way together, but we have much further to go. This skilled, diverse team is ready to continue our fight against COVID-19 and build an economic recovery that includes everyone.”
Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA Selina Robinson will take over as Finance Minister replacing Carole James who retired after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Robinson previously was Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Horgan says James will be staying on as a special advisor at the salary of $1 a year, though he notes he offered her $5 for five years service, but she said she would take it one year at a time.
To no surprise, Vancouver-Kingsway MLA Adrian Dix remains on as Minister of Health and will continue to lead the public-health response alongside provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Katrine Conroy the MLA for Kootenay West takes over the Forests portfolio from the retired Doug Donaldson while Nanaimo MLA Shiela Malcolmson will be the new Minster of Mental Health and Addictions replacing Judy Darcy who did not seek reelection.
Delta North MLA Ravi Kahlon is stepping into cabinet as the Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.
Vancouver – Point Grey MLA David Eby continues on as the Attorney General while Port-Coquitlam MLA Mike Farnworth will stay on as Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General.
The full NDP cabinet and parliamentary secretaries is as follows:
Premier: John Horgan
Attorney General (and Minister Responsible For Housing): David Eby
* Parliamentary Secretary – Anti-Racism Initiatives: Rachna Singh
Advanced Education and Skills Training: Anne Kang
* Parliamentary Secretary – Skills Training: Andrew Mercier
Agriculture, Food and Fisheries: Lana Popham
* Parliamentary Secretary – Fisheries and Aquaculture: Fin Donnelly
Citizens’ Services: Lisa Beare
Children and Family Development: Mitzi Dean
* Minister of State for Child Care: Katrina Chen
Education: Jennifer Whiteside
Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (and Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps of British Columbia): Bruce Ralston
Environment and Climate Change Strategy (and Minister Responsible for Translink): George Heyman
* Parliamentary Secretary – Environment: Kelly Greene
Finance: Selina Robinson
* Parliamentary Secretary – Gender Equity: Grace Lore
Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development: Katrine Conroy
* Minister of State for Lands, Natural Resource Operations: Nathan Cullen
* Parliamentary Secretary – Rural Development: Roly Russell
Health (and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs): Adrian Dix
* Parliamentary Secretary – Seniors Services and Long Term Care: Mable Elmore
Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation: Murray Rankin
Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation: Ravi Kahlon
* Minister of State for Trade: George Chow
* Parliamentary Secretary – Technology and Innovation: Brenda Bailey
Labour: Harry Bains
* Parliamentary Secretary – New Economy: Adam Walker
Mental Health and Addictions: Sheila Malcolmson
Municipal Affairs: Josie Osborne
Public Safety and Solicitor General: Mike Farnworth
* Parliamentary Secretary – Emergency Preparedness: Jennifer Rice
Social Development and Poverty Reduction: Nicholas Simons
* Parliamentary Secretary – Community Development and Non-Profits: Niki Sharma
* Parliamentary Secretary – Accessibility: Dan Coulter
Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Melanie Mark
* Parliamentary Secretary – Arts and Film: Bob D’Eith
Transportation and Infrastructure: Rob Fleming
* Minister of State for Infrastructure: Bowinn Ma