WATCH ABOVE: Rachel Notley – along with her Cabinet – will be sworn in on Sunday. Tom Vernon has more information on the new government.
EDMONTON — Alberta’s NDP era is to officially begin Sunday when incoming premier Rachel Notley and her cabinet are sworn in on the grounds of the legislature.
“We’re planning a bit of a family day event,” Notley said Wednesday.
The government will get to work immediately, she said, but a full budget will not be presented until after the summer.
“We’ll ask the legislature to approve an interim supply budget to finance the operations of government until the fall.”
Notley said it’s important to take a little time to make sure the budget is done right, that members of the legislature have input and that it meets the NDP election platform.
“There will be a great deal of work done (on the budget) over the summer.”
The NDP had four members in the legislature, including Notley, when the election writ was dropped, but after winning a 54-seat majority May 5, she now takes control with 50 rookies in her caucus.
READ MORE: NDP stomps out 44-year PC dynasty, Jim Prentice resigns
Notley said there will be 12 cabinet ministers, including herself, and some will oversee multiple portfolios. But she will not merge or collapse departments.
“There will be a senior deputy and probably a junior deputy that work with that minister, but at this point it’s about working with a core group.”
The cabinet is to travel to Calgary next week to hold two meetings and to meet with Calgarians.
All other legislature members are to be sworn in June 1. The house is to reconvene June 11 to pick a new Speaker. There’s to be a throne speech June 15, followed by several bills before the house rises for the summer.
Notley didn’t say which bills will be introduced, but her government has promised tax reform, a review of oil royalties and an end to political donations from unions and corporations.
The swearing-in will come almost three weeks after Notley and the NDP took down the 44-year-old Progressive Conservative dynasty. Notley had been coming under increasing criticism for the delay.
But research by University of Calgary political scientist Paul Fairie notes that while the 19-day lag time is on the higher end, it is not close to the 25 days Bob Rae and his Ontario NDP waited after winning the 1990 election.
Including the opposition, there will be 70 new faces in the 87-seat legislature.
READ MORE: Speaker shows new Alberta MLAs the ropes
One of them, 26-year-old sociology student Deborah Drever of Calgary Bow, has been criticized for pictures on social media, including one showing her posing beside a marijuana T-shirt.
Another was a photo shoot for a Calgary heavy metal band depicting Drever on her back in a black dress on a street, while a man appears poised to assault her with a bottle.
There have been online petitions and protests to force Drever out, arguing she’s too callow to sit in the house.
Notley said she spoke to Drever earlier Wednesday and told her the images were “highly inappropriate.”
“She agreed with me and she offered her very genuine apology, and I’ve accepted that apology.”
READ MORE: Notley accepts apology from MLA Deborah Drever over ‘offensive’ photos
Drever is to present a plan to Notley about how to educate people about violence against women.
Also on Wednesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that businesswoman Lois Mitchell will be the new lieutenant-governor of Alberta.
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