BC Premier unveiled her new cabinet in Vancouver on Friday reflecting her focus on the economy and jobs. Amrik Virk has been named Minister of Advanced Education.
Her new 19-member cabinet, announced in a event packed with the province’s whos-who at the very tip of Canada Place, is an increase from the stripped-down 17-member version she took into the May 14 election.
Clark began her announcement restating her campaign promise to hold the line on costs, and to promote international trade of the province’s natural resources.
As promised during the May 14 election, Clark named a new ministry for natural gas, reflecting her expectation the growing LNG sector will fuel her plans for economic stimulation.
In choosing her new cabinet, Clark had to replace two key ministers, Margaret MacDiarmid and Ida Chong, who lost their seats in the election. She also had to replace jobs, tourism and skills minister Pat Bell, who did not seek re-election.
Clark lost her own seat of Vancouver-Point Grey to the NDP’s David Eby but this week announced she will seek a seat in a byelection in Westside-Kelowna.
The cabinet ministers are:
– The Deputy Premier and the Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing will be Rich Coleman.
– The Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation will be John Rustad.
– The Minister of Advanced Education will be Amrik Virk.
– The Minister of Agriculture will be Pat Pimm.
– The Minister of Children and Family Development will be Stephanie Cadieux.
– The Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development will be Coralee Oakes.
– The Minister of Education will be Peter Fassbender.
– The Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review will be Bill Bennett.
– The Minister of Environment will be Mary Polak.
– The Minister of Finance and Government House Leader will be Michael de Jong.
– The Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations will be Steve Thomson.
– The Minister of Health will be Terry Lake.
– The Minister of International Trade, Minister Responsible for Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism will be Teresa Wat.
– The Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour will be Shirley Bond.
– Reporting to Bond, the Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business will be Naomi Yamamoto.
– The Minister of Justice and Attorney General will be Suzanne Anton.
– The Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation will be Don McRae.
– The Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services will be Andrew Wilkinson.
– The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Deputy House Leader will be Todd Stone.
