WATCH ABOVE: Premier Rachel Notley and her cabinet sworn in as Alberta’s new government.
EDMONTON – NDP Leader Rachel Notley has officially become Alberta’s 17th premier.
Notley was sworn in at a family-friendly ceremony at the Alberta Legislature grounds. For detailed information on Alberta’s new cabinet, visit the link below.
READ MORE: Who is in Rachel Notley’s cabinet?
WATCH: Notley emerges from the Alberta Legislature
Earlier this week, Notley said her cabinet would consist of 12 people, including herself. Some ministers will oversee multiple portfolios.
A 12-person cabinet is smaller than previous governments. Robert Murray with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy says the smaller cabinet is a “refreshing change.”
“I think it’s a nice reduction. I think what’s also quite encouraging is that we’ve heard from Rachel Notley that ministries will not be merged together; there will be ministers responsible for more than one ministry,” Murray said.
READ MORE: Rachel Notley, 11 cabinet ministers to be sworn in Sunday
However, Murray adds having a minster overseeing more than one ministry does create questions around workload and feasibility.
“Each of these ministries is a multi-billion dollar organization in their own right, and so to run more than one of them at a time is going to be particularly challenging to those people that are appointed in the cabinet.”
As for who might hold which position, Murray believes the experienced NDP MLAs – David Eggen, Deron Bilous and Brian Mason – will each hold a portfolio.
“Chances are those people got the pick as to what it is they were going to want.”
Former Wildrose Leader and PC MLA Danielle Smith tweeted her predictions Sunday morning.
WATCH: Murray weighs in on Notley’s cabinet
On Thursday, long-time NDP MLA and former party leader Brian Mason was appointed as the new government house leader.
Notley and her NDP party won a 54-seat majority in the May 5 election. However, that number was reduced by one on Friday when the incoming premier suspended rookie MLA Deborah Drever after an Instagram photo with “homophobic statements” surfaced.
Notley says the 26-year-old Drever will sit as an Independent when the legislature reconvenes next month and that her status may be evaluated in the future.
WATCH: The Edmonton Journal’s Stuart Thomson weighs in on cabinet possibilities
With files from The Canadian Press.
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