Niki Sharma is new Attorney General; Farnworth remains Solicitor General; Dix remains Health Minister

Niki Sharma flanked by Premier David Eby and Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin. screengrabs

NIKI Sharma, former Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits and MLA for Vancouver-Hastings, is the Attorney General in Premier David Eby’s cabinet.

Other South Asian ministers:

Rachna Singh and Janet Austin.

* Rachna Singh, former Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives
MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers, is the new Minister for Education and Child Care.

David Eby and Ravi Kahlon.

* Ravi Kahlon, former Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation and MLA for Delta North, becomes the Minister for Housing (a new ministry), and Government House Leader.

Harry Bains and Janet Austin.

* Harry Bains, MLA for Surrey-Newton, remains Labour Minister.

Jagrup Brar and Janet Austin.

* Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood, becomes Minister of State for Trade.

Among parliamentary secretaries:

Aman Singh

* Aman Singh, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough, is Parliamentary Secretary for Environment: Aman Singh

Harwinder Sandhu

* Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee, is Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care

 

AS had been widely expected, Mike Farnworth remains Minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General, and Adrian Dix retains the Health Ministry.

Mike Farnworth and Janet Austin.
Adrian Dix and Janet Austin.

Former Finance Minister Selina Robinson becomes Minister for Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, while Katrine Conroy, former Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, becomes the new Finance Minister.

 

EBY said: “British Columbia is a wonderful place to live, but people are looking for action on the issues facing them and their families. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we can’t solve these problems alone. We need to solve them together. My team of determined colleagues will use a wealth and variety of experiences to continue the good work we’ve started and go further to deliver results people can see and feel in their communities.”

The new cabinet members are tasked with helping regular British Columbians with the cost of living, strengthening the health-care system, tackling the housing crisis so people can find affordable, attainable homes, making communities safer, advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, fighting the impacts of climate change and building a sustainable, clean-energy economy that works for everyone.

Two new ministries are being created to devote more attention and resources to major issues that impact British Columbians: the Ministry of Housing, and the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

The new cabinet includes 23 ministers and four ministers of state. Gender representation remains balanced. The cabinet will be supported in its work by 14 parliamentary secretaries.

 

Photo: Eby’s Twitter

The cabinet is as follows:

* Premier: David Eby

* Agriculture and Food: Pam Alexis

* Attorney General: Niki Sharma

* Children and Family Development: Mitzi Dean

* Citizens’ Services: Lisa Beare

* Education and Child Care: Rachna Singh
* Minister of State for Child Care: Grace Lore

* Emergency Management and Climate Readiness: Bowinn Ma

* Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation: Josie Osborne

* Environment and Climate Change Strategy: George Heyman

* Finance (includes Columbia River Treaty): Katrine Conroy

* Forests, and Minister Responsible for Consular Corps: Bruce Ralston

* Health, and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs: Adrian Dix

* Housing, and Government House Leader: Ravi Kahlon

* Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation: Murray Rankin

* Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation: Brenda Bailey
* Minister of State for Trade: Jagrup Brar

* Labour: Harry Bains

* Mental Health and Addictions: Jennifer Whiteside

* Municipal Affairs: Anne Kang

* Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (includes immigration/foreign credentials): Selina Robinson
* Minister of State for Workforce Development: Andrew Mercier

* Public Safety and Solicitor General (ICBC), and Deputy Premier: Mike Farnworth

* Social Development and Poverty Reduction: Sheila Malcolmson

* Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport: Lana Popham

* Transportation and Infrastructure (BC Transit and Translink): Rob Fleming
* Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit: Dan Coulter

* Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (Fisheries): Nathan Cullen

 

The following is a list of new parliamentary secretaries:

* Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives: Mable Elmore

* Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness: Jennifer Rice

* Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainable Economy: Adam Walker

* Parliamentary Secretary for Environment: Aman Singh

* Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity: Kelli Paddon

* Parliamentary Secretary for Forests: Doug Routley

* Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care: Harwinder Sandhu

* Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development: Roly Russell

* Parliamentary Secretary for Labour: Janet Routledge

* Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility: Susie Chant

* Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-profits: Megan Dykeman

* Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film: Bob D’Eith

* Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Premier’s Special Advisor on Youth: Brittny Anderson

* Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture: Kelly Greene