Brian Pallister, incoming Manitoba premier, announces senior staff

Manitoba premier-designate Brian Pallister has named his senior staff and plans to announce his cabinet next week.

The senior staff consists of:

• Philip Houde, chief of staff;
• Jonathan Scarth, principal secretary;
• Olivia Baldwin-Valainis, director of communications and stakeholder relations; and
• James White, senior adviser and director of issues management.

Houde owns River East Travel, according to his LinkedIn profile, and worked for the government of Gary Filmon, rising to director of operations in the premier's office in 1998, until the Progressive Conservatives lost the 1999 election to the NDP under Gary Doer.  Houde was then chief of staff to the leader of the opposition until 2001. 

Pallister will unveil his cabinet on May 3, the day they are sworn in. The rest of the Progressive Conservative caucus will be sworn in on May 11.

The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in last week's provincial election, taking 40 seats.

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The party's transition team includes Scarth, Baldwin-Valainis, Houde and White as well as Brian Manning, Rick Mantey, Mike Richards and chairperson Eric Stefanson.