Premier Danielle Smith announced some changes to her cabinet and caucus leadership.
Following the conclusion of the spring sitting of the legislature, and the resignation of the Ric McIver from his position as Minister of Municipal Affairs to serve as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the government will now have members taking on new roles:
— Minister of Advanced Education, Myles McDougall
— Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Matt Jones
— Minister of Indigenous Relations, Rajan Sawhney
— Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration, Joseph Schow
— Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Rick Wilson
— Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dan Williams
— Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Adriana LaGrange
— Minister of Tourism and Sport, Andrew Boitchenko
— Associate Minister of Multiculturalism, Mohammed Yaseen
— Associate Minister of Water, Grant Hunter
Additionally, Grant Hunter will be serving as the chief government whip.
Demetrios Nicolaides will be adding childcare to his portfolio and become the Minister of Education and Childcare. Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon will also see his title changed to "Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services."
"I'm eager to collaborate with this dedicated team to fulfill the commitments we made to Albertans during the last election," said Smith.
"Our government has already addressed many key priorities of Albertans, but we know there is more work to do, and I'm excited to continue working alongside each of my cabinet colleagues as we move forward an ambitious agenda for Albertans.”
The Government of Alberta states the new cabinet also serves "as the critical next step in the journey to refocus Alberta’s health care system." Each of the four health care agencies – Primary Care Alberta, Acute Care Alberta, Assisted Living Alberta, and Recovery Alberta – are now established, and will now each have a corresponding minister responsible.
“I’m pleased to continue the important work of re-focusing our health care system with the support of my colleagues," said LaGrange, who is now the Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, in addition to serving as Red Deer-North MLA.
"Moving forward, we will work together to ensure that patients in our health care system have an integrated seamless experience and get the care they need when and where they need it.”
Naheed Nenshi, leader of Alberta’s New Democrats, issued a statement regarding the cabinet changes.
“Danielle Smith’s ship is sinking and shuffling the deck chairs will not help. No amount of rearranging will distract from the fact that this UCP government has failed miserably and corruption is baked into her cabinet," said Nenshi.
"She’s shown that Albertans’ priorities aren’t hers. This isn’t a cabinet built to tackle affordability, health care, public safety and education. Instead, they spent the entire spring sitting preying on vulnerable Albertans, passing anti-democratic legislation, peddling separatism and covering up the biggest scandal in Alberta’s history."
