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Bennett returns to cabinet
Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett is back in the inner sanctum.
Premier Christy Clark Sept. 5 announced expected changes to her Cabinet that included Bennett, who will now serve as Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. That post became vacant when Ida Chong was switched to head the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.
The new cabinet includes 13 existing cabinet members, three MLAs with previous cabinet experience, including Bennett, and two first time appointees, including 79-year-old Ralph Sultan.
“Our Premier and our entire team are focused on jobs, fiscal discipline, and continuing our efforts to make life more affordable for B.C. families,” stated a press release issued shortly after the cabinet shuffle.
“This renewed cabinet is going to bring a reinvigorated focus on keeping B.C. on the right track. With this renewed team, we will build on the progress of the past 18 months including our BC Jobs Plan, affordability measures announced in the budget, capping BC Hydro rate increase, auditing Crown corporations to weed-out waste, reviewing the justice system, and getting on track to balance the budget,” the statement read.
“No new ministries have been added in this renewal of cabinet, keeping it smaller in size than pre-2011 levels; and all members of cabinet have committed to running in next May’s election.
“There will be a focus on skills training and labour, natural gas development, family affordability, and controlling spending to balance the budget,” it concluded.
Members of the new Executive Council:
Premier – Hon. Christy Clark
Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas, and Minister of Housing – Rich Coleman.
Finance Minister and House Leader – Mike de Jong.
Health Minister – Margaret MacDiarmid.
Education Minister – Don McRae.
Transportation Minister – Mary Polak.
Jobs Minister – Pat Bell.
Justice Minister and Attorney General – Shirley Bond.
Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister- Ida Chong.
Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology Minister – John Yap.
Agriculture Minister – Norm Letnick (first time appointment).
Children and Families Minister – Stephanie Cadieux.
Citizens Services Minister – Ben Stewart (returned to cabinet).
Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister – Bill Bennett (returned to cabinet).
Environment Minister and Deputy House Leader – Terry Lake.
Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister – Steve Thomson.
Social Development Minister – Moira Stilwell (returned to cabinet).
Minister of State for Seniors – Ralph Sultan (first time appointment).
Minister of State for Small Business – Naomi Yamamoto.
This is Bennett’s fifth cabinet post. Under Premier Gordon Campbell, whom he had a now famous fallout out with, he served as Minister of State for Mining (2005), a post he resigned from in 2007 after a controversy over an email sent to an Elk Valley constituent.
On June 23, 2008, he was re-appointed to the B.C. cabinet as Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and shortly after being re-elected in 2009, was appointed as Minister of Community & Rural Development.
In June of 2010, he was appointed as the Minister of Energy where he served until November 17, 2010, when he was removed from Cabinet, and eventually the Liberal Party, following public criticisms of Campbell’s leadership.
The following members of the legislative assembly are appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries:
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier – Doug Horne
Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Communities to the Minister Community, Sport and Cultural Development – Donna Barnett
Parliamentary Secretary for Asia Pacific to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training – Richard Lee
Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry to the Minister of Forests, Land and Natural Resource Operations – John Rustad
Parliamentary Secretary for Independent Schools to the Minister of Education – Marc Dalton
Parliamentary Secretary for Student Support and Parent Engagement to the Minister of Education – Jane Thornthwaite
Parliamentary Secretary for Non-Profit Partnerships to the Minister of Social Development – Gordon Hogg
Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation & Technology to the Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology – Ron Cantelon
Parliamentary Secretary for the Northeast to the Minister of Energy, Mines, and Natural Gas – Pat Pimm.
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