Ron Orr, MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka, becomes the new Minister of Culture. (Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Changing Things Up

Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Ron Orr becomes Minister of Culture in Premier Kenney Cabinet shuffle

Jul 8, 2021 | 10:48 AM

Premier Jason Kenney has announced several changes to his cabinet and welcomed six new members to further support Alberta’s economic recovery.

One of those six new cabinet members includes Ron Orr, MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka, who becomes the Minister of Culture.

Government officials say Orr is expected to 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.”

Additional cabinet changes include:

• Nate Horner, MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, who becomes Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development, under the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. Horner’s role will be to support Minister Doug Schweitzer in making sure Alberta’s Recovery Plan delivers results for rural and remote Alberta communities, working across government on important strategic initiatives such as expanding rural broadband internet and irrigation networks.
  Nate Horner, MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, the new Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development, under the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. (Government of Alberta)
• Rajan Sawhney, MLA for Calgary-North East and currently the Minister of Community and Social Services, becomes the Minister of Transportation. Officials say Sawhney is anticipated to deliver on Alberta’s historic Capital Plan investment of $20.3 billion over the next three years, including Alberta’s $1.53-billion investment in Calgary’s Green Line LRT project – anticipated to create 90,000 new jobs.
• Tanya Fir, MLA for Calgary-Peigan, becomes Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction. Fir is expected to continue to deliver on Alberta’s aggressive efforts to eliminate burdensome regulations, improve small business competitiveness and get Alberta’s economy moving.
• Muhammad Yaseen, MLA for Calgary-North, becomes Associate Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism, under the Ministry of Labour and Immigration. He will work with Minister Jason Copping in rolling out the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program and the Fairness for Newcomers Action Plan. He will also be tasked with reaching out to ethnic and faith communities and working across government to address recent attacks on vulnerable individuals and communities.
• Whitney Issik, MLA for Calgary-Glenmore, becomes the Associate Minister of Status of Women, under the Ministry of Culture and Status of Women, and the chief government whip. She will work to ensure that women are a driving force in Alberta’s economic recovery, recognizing the disproportionate impact of the global COVID-19 recession on women.
• Mike Ellis, MLA for Calgary-West and currently the chief government whip, becomes Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Ellis is expected to continue to implement Alberta’s recovery-oriented systems of care model across the province.
• Jason Luan, MLA for Calgary-Foothills and currently the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, becomes the Minister of Community and Social Services. He is anticipated to focus on delivering supports for vulnerable Albertans as they emerge from COVID-19, helping to bridge unemployed and underemployed Albertans into good jobs.

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Other non-ministry changes:

• Joseph Schow, MLA for Cardston-Siksika and currently the deputy government whip, becomes deputy government house leader.
• Brad Rutherford, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont, becomes deputy government whip.

“Alberta is leading Canada out of the COVID-19 pandemic and into strong economic growth,” says Premier Jason Kenney, in a government press release. “This renewal of our cabinet will support Alberta’s Recovery Plan, a plan to build, to diversify the economy and to create jobs. With six new voices and strong, experienced ministers moving into important economic roles, Alberta’s government is ready to deliver a strong recovery for all Albertans.”

The Premier also announced the appointment of Pam Livingston as chief of staff, with acting chief of staff Larry Kaumeyer returning to his previous role as principal secretary to the Premier. Livingston has an extensive history in senior roles with the Government of Alberta, most recently as the chief of staff to the Minister of Environment and Parks and deputy chief of staff to the Premier. Kaumeyer has served as a senior executive throughout his private sector career.

Alberta’s NDP, however, say Jason Kenney used his cabinet shuffle to reward loyalists and punish his critics, but failed to do anything to address his government’s serious failure to support Alberta families and businesses.

“By failing to make any of the major changes that are so obviously needed, Jason Kenney has made it clear that the problem remains at the top,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley, in a press release. “The minister who needs to be shuffled out more than anyone is the Premier.

“Today is a symbol of the problems at the core of Jason Kenney’s government. He’s focused on his own internal political problems, he’s incapable of admitting his mistakes, and he’s oblivious to the real problems of Alberta families and small businesses,” added Notley.

“There is nothing in this shuffle to bring the UCP’s focus back onto job creation, where Jason Kenney has failed from day one,” she remarked. “Alberta needs a government that is obsessed with creating good-paying jobs and we didn’t get that today.”