Provincial Cabinet Shuffle

The Government of Alberta cabinet shuffle on July 8 saw the appointment of new Ministers to Premier Jason Kenney’s cabinet and the shifting of some existing members into new portfolios. Some of these changes will have significant impacts on the nonprofit sector, particularly to the former Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women, and the Ministry of Community and Social Services.  

Ron Orr, MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka, was appointed as the Minister of Culture and Status of Women, replacing Leela Aheer.  Whitney Issik, MLA for Calgary-Glenmore, was appointed as the Associate Minister of Status of Women, Multiculturalism has been moved from this Ministry and will now be under the Ministry of Labour and Immigration. 

According to the statement released by the Government, the Ministry of Culture will “focus on helping Alberta’s arts and culture organizations recover from the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 while implementing an Alberta Identity Strategy that will address recommendation 25 of the Fair Deal Panel to ‘affirm Alberta’s cultural, economic and political uniqueness in law and government policy.’” 

Jason Luan, MLA for Calgary-Foothills, will replace Rajan Sawhney as the Minister of Community and Social Services. His previous appointment was Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Rajan Sawhney, MLA for Calgary-North East, is now the Minister of Transportation.  

Other new additions to the cabinet include: 

  • Tanya Fir, MLA for Calgary-Peigan, was appointed as the Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction replacing Grant Hunter.  

  • Nate Horner, MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, was appointed as the Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development; a new portfolio under the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. 

  • Muhammad Yaseen, MLA for Calgary-North, was appointed as the Associate Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism; a new portfolio under the Ministry of Labour and Immigration. 

  • Mike Ellis, MLA for Calgary-West and currently the chief government whip, was appointed as the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, replacing Jason Luan. 

Shuffled out: 

  • Leela Aheer, former Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women. 

  • Grant Hunter, former Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction. 

 

For more information, see CCVO’s Guide to Alberta’s Governing Party here.

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