New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant has made a major shuffle of his cabinet — naming the province’s first female finance minister and adding a minister for Celtic Affairs.
Cathy Rogers moves from Social Development to become finance minister, and minister responsible for literacy.
There are now three women on cabinet with the addition of Lisa Harris who becomes minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care, and minister responsible for Celtic Affairs.
John Ames is also new to cabinet, becoming minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture.
The shuffle increases the number of cabinet ministers by two, to 14 plus the premier.
The other existing cabinet minister shift responsibilities, including Stephen Horsman who moves from Justice, Public Safety and Solicitor General to become the minister of Families and Children.
Opposition Leader Bruce Fitch says the shuffling of cabinet ministers won’t amount to much improvement from the government.
“Some of those little nuances that may escape some folks we see as pure politics,” said Fitch.
“We see it as them trying to boost up their ratings in a time when they’re having trouble getting any policies to fly with the public.”
Green Party Leader David Coon is skeptical over the creation of a Celtic Affairs Minister post.
“When you open that door, you can start having ministers for all kinds of groups in the province,” Coon said. “I think it would’ve been fair to have in the department, a Celtic section, someone with that responsibility, but to actually appoint a minister for Celtic Affairs seems unnecessary to me.”
Here is a full list of the ministers’ new roles:
- Brian Gallant, premier, president of the Executive Council, minister responsible for the Education and New Economy Fund, minister responsible for Innovation, minister responsible for the Premier’s Council on the Status of Disabled Persons, minister responsible for Rural Affairs, minister responsible for Women’s Equality.
- Stephen Horsman, deputy premier, minister of Families and Children, who will also act as liaison for military affairs.
- Denis Landry, minister of Justice and Public Safety.
- Donald Arseneault, minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, minister responsible for Official Languages, minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation.
- Rick Doucet, minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, minister of Energy and Resource Development, government house leader.
- Victor Boudreau, minister of Health, deputy government house leader.
- Ed Doherty, minister of Service New Brunswick, minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, minister responsible for Poverty Reduction and the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation.
- Brian Kenny, minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.
- Bill Fraser, minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, minister responsible for the Northern and Miramichi funds.
- Roger Melanson, president of the Treasury Board, minister responsible for Trade Policy;
- Francine Landry, minister of Economic Development, minister responsible for La Francophonie, minister responsible for Opportunities NB.
- Cathy Rogers, minister of Finance, minister responsible for Literacy.
*With files from Jeremy Keefe, Global News
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