Following the recent British Columbia provincial election, Members of the 39th Parliament were sworn in on June 8, 2009. On June 10, 2008, the Honourable Gordon Campbell, was again sworn in as Premier of British Columbia. Nine new members of cabinet were sworn into office by the Lieutenant-Governor, while ten ministers were assigned new portfolios.
Of particular note, the Honourable Mike de Jong was appointed Attorney General. The Honourable Colin Hansen remains Minister of Finance and has been appointed Deputy Premier. The Honourable Pat Bell and the Honourable Blair Lekstrom respectively retained their positions as Minister of Forests and Range, and Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The Honourable Mike Hawes was appointed the Minister of State for Mines.
The nine new ministers are:
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General – Hon. Kash Heed
Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development – Hon. Moira Stilwell
Minister of State for the Olympics and ActNow B.C. – Hon. Mary McNeil
Minister of Education – Hon. Dr. Margaret McDiarmid
Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations – Hon. Naomi Yamamoto
Minister of Agriculture and Lands – Hon. Steve Thompson
Minister of Citizens Services and Multiculturalism – Hon. Ben Stewart
Minister of State for Mining – Hon. Randy Hawes
Minister of State for Climate Action – Hon. John Yap
Ministers with new portfolios include:
Attorney General and Government House Leader – Hon. Mike de Jong
Minister of Labour – Hon. Murray Coell
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation – Hon. George Abbot
Minister of Health Services – Hon. Kevin Falcon
Minister of Community and Rural Development – Hon. Bill Bennett
Minister of Healthy Living and Sport – Hon. Ida Chong
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure – Hon. Shirley Bond
Minister of Children and Family Development – Hon. Mary Polak
Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development – Hon. Iain Black
Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts – Hon. Kevin Krueger
Ministers retaining existing portfolios include:
Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier – Hon. Colin Hansen
Minister of Environment – Hon. Barry Penner
Minister of Forests and Range, Integrated Land Management Bureau – Hon. Pat Bell
Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources – Hon. Blair Lekstrom
Minister of Housing and Social Development – Hon. Rich Coleman
The Legislature will be recalled on August 25, 2009, followed by a budget on September 1, 2009.
Under British Columbia’s Constitution Act, provincial general elections are now held on fixed dates. The next provincial general election will be held on May 14, 2013.
