It’s official. John Horgan is now the Premier.
The NDP Leader was sworn in this afternoon and he wants to hit the ground running and plans to start fulfilling his campaign promises immediately.
“We’re going to look at making sure that we’re increasing income assistance rates for people with disabilities and people on income assistance and also ensuring that we’re doing our level best to reduce costs in a whole range of other areas.”
Another thing he believes he can start this summer is initiating relationships with other governments.
‘I have been in conversation with the premiers of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec and I’ve been in touch with the federal government several times. I’m anxious to get back to Ottawa and sit down face-to-face with the Prime Minister and talk about our mutual interests here in British Columbia.”
The new cabinet is gender-equal, evenly split among 11 women and 11 men.
Jinny Sims – Minister of Citizens’ Services
Harry Bains – Minister of Labour
David Eby – Attorney General of British Columbia
Claire Trevena – Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
Adrian Dix – Minister of Health
Lana Popham – Minister of Agriculture
Judy Darcy – Minister of Mental Health & Addictions
Katrine Conroy – Minister of Children & Family Development
Katrina Chen – Minister of Children & Family Development
Shane Simpson – Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
Rob Fleming – Minister of Education
Melanie Mark – Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training
Michelle Mungall – Minister of Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources
George Heyman – Minister of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
Carole James – Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier
Selina Robinson – Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Doug Donaldson – Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
George Chow – Minister of State for Trade
Scott Fraser – Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
Bruce Ralston – Minister of Jobs, Trade & Technology
Mike Farnworth – Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Lisa Beare – Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
“We have a great and diverse and dynamic group of people with experience. We’re going to bring that to bear on government,” says Horgan.
Longtime Stikine MLA Doug Donaldson is hoping for a smooth transition into his new role, which he says will include talks with former Forest Minister John Rustad.
“He’s offered to do this in a non-partisan approach and I think that’s exactly the kind of approach that needs to take place when we have an emergency situation like we do with the wildfires.”