By Lethbridge Herald on June 10, 2023.
Al Beeber – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf has once again been named a member of premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet.
Neudorf on Friday was named Minister of Affordability and Vice-chair of the Treasury Board. In the last cabinet, he served as Minister of Infrastructure and Deputy Premier.
Joseph Schow, MLA for Cardston-Siksika, was named Minister of Tourism and Sport. Schow will also serve as House leader.
Adriana LaGrange, who previously served as Minister of Education, has been moved to head the Health portfolio with Demetrios Nicolaides taking over her previous role.
Mike Ellis, who previously served as Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister, was named Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services.
Rebecca Shultz, who ran for the UCP leadership last fall, will serve as Minister of Environment and Protected Areas.
In a press release, the premier called her 25-member cabinet “a team dedicated to building on a solid foundation of stability, informed decision-making and good governance.”
The cabinet size is down in numbers by two, and according to the UCP, “includes a mix of experienced and new ministers who represent Alberta’s diversity.”
The Canadian Taxpayers on Friday expressed disappointment with the size of the cabinet.
Lethbridge-based Alberta director of the CTF suggested in a release that Smith could have made it smaller.
“Albertans don’t need a big cabinet to run things out of Edmonton. Smith should have followed in the footsteps of former premier Ralph Klein and cut the size of cabinet when first elected as premier,” said Sims.
Alberta cabinet ministers with portfolio are paid a total of $181,404 per year. This includes $120,936 total renumeration for being an MLA and an additional $60,468 for their cabinet role.
Premier Smith earns an additional $65,244 over her MLA compensation while the Leader of the Opposition earns the same as cabinet ministers.
Following is a full list of the new cabinet which was sworn in Friday morning:
• Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Relations – Danielle Smith
• Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services – Mike Ellis
• Minister of Advanced Education – Rajan Sawhney
• Minister of Affordability and Utilities and Vice-chair of Treasury Board – Nathan Neudorf
• Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation – RJ Sigurdson
• Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women – Tanya Fir
• Minister of Children and Family Services – Searle Turton
• Minister of Education – Demetrios Nicolaides
• Minister of Energy and Minerals – Brian Jean
• Minister of Environment and Protected Areas – Rebecca Schulz
• Ministry of Forestry and Parks – Todd Loewen
• Minister of Health – Adriana LaGrange
• Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism – Muhammad Yaseen
• Minister of Indigenous Relations – Rick Wilson
• Minister of Infrastructure – Pete Guthrie
• Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade – Matt Jones
• Minister of Justice – Mickey Amery
• Minister of Mental Health and Addiction – Dan Williams
• Minister of Municipal Affairs – Ric McIver
• Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services – Jason Nixon
• Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction – Dale Nally
• Minister of Technology and Innovation – Nate Glubish
• Minister of Tourism and Sport – Joseph Schow
• Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors – Devin Dreeshen
• President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance – Nate Horner
41
Agreed, it is a really ‘big’ cabinet with ‘big’ costs. We’ll sit back, and wait and see. This:
“Cabinetry”
http://www.lisayoung.substack.com/p/cabinetry?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
And quote re: “Alberta’s new Minister of Addiction and Mental Health is perhaps best known for chugging a beer on the floor of of Legislative Assembly. Hope he brings some sober second thought to his new file.”
One can also access Lisa Young’s excellent ‘substacks’ on her twitter feed.
This is good news for Southern Alberta. We need to encourage entrepreneurship and resist the temptation to depend on Provincial subsidies.