Premier Stephen McNeil has appointed 17 people to his new cabinet: that’s the same number as the cabinet in his first government. But there are fewer women.
The cabinet includes five women and 12 men. His last cabinet had six women.
The two highest-profile positions in cabinet will be held by new ministers.
Karen Casey goes from education to finance and Randy Delorey is being moved from finance to health.
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There will be three new faces at the cabinet table. All of them were backbenchers in McNeil’s first government.
Fairview-Clayton Park MLA Patricia Arab was sworn in as Minister Responsible for Internal Services and Communications Nova Scotia.
Timberlea-Prospect MLA Iain Rankin will take over environment and Sydney-Whitney Pier MLA Derek Mombourquette was appointed to head up municipal affairs.
Mark Furey is being moved from business to justice. That’s a promotion that will put him in charge of the new Accessibility Act. He will also be tasked with moving a revamped Incompetent Persons Act through the house, managing the rewrite of the Cyber Safety Act and will be responsible for rolling out legalized marijuana in the province.
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The new Education Minister is Zach Churchill who was promoted from municipal affairs. His appointment suggests McNeil wants to smooth relations with teachers after several contentious years under Casey.
Geoff MacLellan is taking over the cabinet roles once held by defeated MLA Michel Samson and adding others previously held by Furey. MacLellan moved from transportation to Energy, Trade, Service Nova Scotia, and Business.
Kelly Regan is moving from labour and advanced education to community services. She is taking over from Joanne Bernard who lost her Dartmouth North riding in last month’s election. Regan will be responsible for the overhaul of income assistance that was started under Bernard. Regan will also be the new status of women minister.
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Leo Glavine is taking on a much smaller role going from health to Communities, Culture and Heritage.
Tony Ince is the new minister of the public service commission – taking over from Labi Kousoulis who was moved to labour and advanced education.
Transportation and Infrastructure meantime moves to the responsibility of Lloyd Hines while Margaret Miller takes over his previous natural resources portfolio.
Only three people kept their portfolios: Lena Diab, Keith Colwell and McNeil. The premier added one more responsibility to his list — Minister for Youth.
— More to come