Notley expands cabinet to 19 members
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Premier Rachel Notley expanded her NDP cabinet on Tuesday to 19 members by adding six ministers, including three from Calgary and a similar number from Edmonton.
The Calgary contingent sworn in at Government House in the provincial capital includes Stephanie McLean as minister of Service Alberta and Status of Women, Ricardo Miranda as minister of Culture and Tourism, and Brandy Payne as associate minister of Health.
Three Edmonton MLAs were also named to cabinet, with Richard Feehan becoming minister of Indigenous Relations, Marlin Schmidt as minister of Advanced Education, and Christina Gray becoming minister of Labour and Democratic Renewal.
Notley also made other changes in her cabinet, her first major ministerial shakeup since the NDP took power last spring, ending the Progressive Conservative dynasty.
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman was also named deputy premier in the shuffle. Lori Sigurdson, who had been Advanced Education and Jobs minister, was moved to the portfolio of Seniors and Housing.
Speaking to reporters, Notley said the government had always planned to grow the cabinet.
“We have a lot of work to do and it’s important to be able to ensure we have enough people at the table to get that work done,” she said.
Notley’s original cabinet sworn in after the NDP’s election victory in the May 5 provincial election had just 12 members, including the premier.
It grew by one member in October when Danielle Larivee was named municipal affairs minister and Deron Bilous was switched to the new economic development portfolio.
Including Notley in the 19-member cabinet, there are 10 women ministers and nine men. Nine ministers are from Edmonton, six from Calgary and four from the rest of the province.
In a possible first in Canadian politics, both McLean and Payne are pregnant.
McLean’s due date is early February and Notley said the ministers who previously held her portfolios will serve as her back-up when she is on maternity leave.
“Minister McLean will be hoping to come back to work as soon as possible after she’s had her baby, but of course we’ll have to see how things go,” said Notley.
“But we’re going to accommodate that and ensure we are a place where women can engage fully in the opportunities for leadership.”
As well, Miranda is the first openly gay cabinet minister in Alberta history.
The government said the cabinet is still smaller than any other Alberta cabinet in the last decade. It says the cabinet makeup allows for a more evenly shared workload, with most ministers now responsible for a single portfolio.
Cabinet ministers receive an additional $63,648 on top of their MLA salary of $127,296, making their total compensation $190,944.
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said the cabinet shuffle was larger than he expected, and sends several signals.
He noted it follows last week’s release of the NDP government’s long-awaited energy royalty review and ahead of the legislative session resuming in March.
“It was a necessary step and the timing was right,” said Bratt. “She had a better sense of who should be in cabinet this time.”
Bratt said it’s clear that Hoffman, along with House Leader and Infrastructure Minister Brian Mason, are the key power players in Notley’s cabinet.
He noted Sigurdson, meanwhile, has moved from two big ministries — Labour and Advanced Education — into the new portfolio of Seniors and Housing.
“I think she’s taking the fall for the Bill 6 fiasco,” Bratt said of the rural rebellion that erupted late last year after the province introduced a controversial new farmworker safety bill.
“This is a clear example of ministerial responsibility.”
Wildrose critic Jason Nixon said he hopes the shuffle indicates a change in tone for the government and a shift away from policies that are harmful to the provincial economy.
“It’s clear the NDP is trying to change the channel on its poor record to date,” he said.
Nixon said he is pleased to see more MLAs from Calgary added to the cabinet since the city is facing the brunt of the impact from the collapse of oil prices.
“They’ve increased representation from Calgary, but I would still point out that in our minds it is still under-represented given its significance to the province,” Nixon added.
He questioned the decision to appoint a new labour minister.
“We need action on the economy, action on jobs — not another labour minister,” he said. “We need a government to get to work.”
Progressive Conservative Leader Ric McIver said he is prepared to give the new NDP ministers a chance to prove they are capable in their new jobs.
“My advice to them would be to appreciate just how important those jobs are and to take them seriously and listen to Albertans,” he said.
Liberal Leader David Swann said he hopes to see more timely and effective decision-making from the expanded cabinet.
“They were overloaded in some ministries,” Swann said. “I am glad to see Seniors and Housing separated from Health. That was a good move.”
Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark offered to work with the new cabinet to make Alberta better.
“They’ve got a big job ahead of them as our economy continues to suffer and Albertans struggle to find jobs,” he said. “I hope they find the right balance of providing cost-effective front-line services without big tax hikes or massive debt.”
dhenton@calgaryherald.com
Cabinet Shuffle: New Ministers
Richard John Feehan | Minister of Indigenous Relations |
Christina Gray | Minister of Labour Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal |
Stephanie Veronica McLean | Minister of Service Alberta Minister of Status of Women |
Ricardo Miranda | Minister of Culture and Tourism |
Marlin Robert Schmidt | Minister of Advanced Education |
Brandy Lynn Payne | Associate Minister of Health |
New Portfolios and responsibilities
Lori Dawn Sigurdson | Minister of Seniors and Housing |
Sarah Marjorie Hoffman | Deputy Premier |
Alberta Cabinet in order of precedence
Rachel Anne Notley | Premier of Alberta President of Executive Council |
Sarah Marjorie Hoffman | Deputy Premier Minister of Health |
Brian Mason | Minister of Infrastructure Minister of Transportation Government House Leader |
David Manson Eggen | Minister of Education |
Deron Michael Bilous | Minister of Economic Development and Trade Deputy Government House Leader |
Joseph Anthony Ceci | President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance |
Kathleen Teresa Ganley | Minister of Justice and Solicitor General |
Shannon Phillips | Minister of Environment and Parks Minister Responsible for the Climate Change Office |
Oneil John Carlier | Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Deputy Government House Leader |
Danielle Marie Larivee | Minister of Municipal Affairs |
Margaret Ellen McCuaig-Boyd | Minister of Energy |
Irfan Sabir | Minister of Human Services |
Lori Dawn Sigurdson | Minister of Seniors and Housing |
Richard John Feehan | Minister of Indigenous Relations |
Christina Gray | Minister of Labour Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal |
Stephanie Veronica McLean | Minister of Service Alberta Minister of Status of Women |
Ricardo Miranda | Minister of Culture and Tourism |
Marlin Robert Schmidt | Minister of Advanced Education |
Brandy Lynn Payne | Associate Minister of Health |
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