Veteran NDP MLA Harry Bains Is Labour Minister While Former NDP MP Jinny Sims Is Minister of Citizens' Services!

The cabinet includes four ministers and two parliamentary secretaries aged 40 and under, 10 ministers and parliamentary secretaries who identify as a visible minority and the first First Nations woman appointed to cabinet. First-time MLA Ravi Kahlon, the former Canadian field hockey star, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism – a kind of a starter-minister post or a non-ministry Multiculturalism-Sport post.                                                                                                          PHOTOS By R. Paul Dhillon

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada

VICTORIA—DESIBUZZCanada Founder-Editor R. Paul Dhillon was on hand at Government House in Victoria as Premier John Horgan announced his new cabinet Tuesday which includes two Indo-Canadians as cabinet ministers.

 “Our government will offer families relief from high costs and fees, strengthen services like health care and education, and create good jobs and economic opportunity across B.C.,” said Premier John Horgan.

“We will put people at the heart of everything we do. And we’ll work hard to deliver on our commitments to British Columbians.”

DESIBUZZCanada Founder R. Paul Dhillon with newly appointed Labour Minister Harry Bains

Veteran NDP MLA Harry Bains was given the Labour portfolio while former NDP MP Jinny Sims is now the Minister of Citizens' Services.

First-time MLA Ravi Kahlon, the former Canadian field hockey star, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism – a kind of a starter-minister post or a non-ministry Multiculturalism-Sport post.

Veteran NDP MLA Raj Chouhan is expected to be named Speaker of the House but it is not known when that announcement will come as the House won't sit for the summer and won't resume until September the earliest.

Jagrup Brar who defeated BC Liberal cabinet minister Peter Fassbender didn't get any post at all. He may have been victim of the gender balance cabinet which allowed Sims to get in and Brar to be left out.

The new cabinet is made up of 20 ministers and two ministers of state. In addition, six MLAs have been named as parliamentary secretaries. Premier Horgan’s cabinet is the first in B.C. history to achieve gender parity, with 10 women named to cabinet and one named minister of state.

Ministerial portfolios reflect the government’s focus on making life better for people including a stand-alone Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, a Minister of State for Child Care, and a Minister for Social Development and Poverty Reduction. The government is also putting a special focus on jobs and opportunity in B.C.’s tech sector. The government includes a mix of new and experienced MLAs and also includes:

The cabinet includes four ministers and two parliamentary secretaries aged 40 and under, 10 ministers and parliamentary secretaries who identify as a visible minority and the first First Nations woman appointed to cabinet.

“Starting today, we will deliver a government that works for people. We’re going to work hard every day to build a better B.C.,” said Horgan.

 FULL LIST OF MINISTERS AND PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES

•             Members of the Executive Council

•             Premier – Hon. John Horgan

•             Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training – Hon. Melanie Mark

•             Minister of Agriculture – Hon. Lana Popham

•             Attorney General – Hon. David Eby

•             Minister of Children and Family Development – Hon. Katrine Conroy

•             Minister of State for Child Care – Hon. Katrina Chen

•             Minister of Citizens’ Services – Hon. Jinny Sims

•             Minister of Education – Hon. Rob Fleming

•             Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources – Hon. Michelle Mungall

•             Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy – Hon. George Heyman

•             Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier – Hon. Carole James

•             Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development – Hon. Doug Donaldson

•             Minister of Health – Hon. Adrian Dix

•             Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation – Hon. Scott Fraser

•             Minister of Jobs, Trade, and Technology – Hon. Bruce Ralston

•             Minister of State for Trade – Hon. George Chow

•             Minister of Labour – Hon. Harry Bains

•             Minister of Mental Health and Addictions – Hon. Judy Darcy

•             Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing – Hon. Selina Robinson

•             Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General – Hon. Mike Farnworth

•             Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction – Hon. Shane Simpson

•             Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture – Hon. Lisa Beare

•             Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure – Hon. Claire Trevena

                                 ———————————————–

•             Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness – Jennifer Rice

•             Parliamentary Secretary for Poverty Reduction – Mable Elmore

•             Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors – Anne Kang

•             Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism – Ravi Kahlon

•             Parliamentary Secretary for Technology – Rick Glumac

•             Parliamentary Secretary for Translink – Bowinn Ma