4 new faces as Brad Wall shuffles cabinet
CBC News | Posted: August 23, 2016 5:16 PM | Last Updated: August 24, 2016
Tina Beaudry-Mellor sworn in as social services minister, Don Morgan becomes new deputy premier
Premier Brad Wall has shuffled his cabinet, adding some new faces and sending a few back to the backbenches.
"That's the challenge of renewal in a cabinet," Wall told reporters. "You are going to move people around."
Tina Beaudry-Mellor (Regina University) and David Marit (Wood River) have been added. Beaudry-Mellor is the new social services minister while Marit becomes minister of highways.
Also new is Bronwyn Eyre (Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota) who becomes minister of advanced education, while Joe Hargrave (Prince Albert Carlton) gets three portfolios: Crown Investments Corp., Saskatchewan Government Insurance and the provincial bus company, Saskatchewan Transportation Co.
Several departures from Wall's team
Among those departing is former Minister of the Economy Bill Boyd and former Environment Minister Herb Cox. It had previously been announced they would not be in the next cabinet.
Nancy Heppner, formerly highways minister, is now out of cabinet.
Also missing from Wall's lineup is former minister responsible for SGI Don McMorris, who stepped down after being charged with impaired driving earlier this month.
Out as well are two who have been demoted to legislative secretary positions: Mark Docherty and Jennifer Campeau. Campeau had been the first First Nations person appointed to Wall's cabinet.
Cheveldayoff back after time as backbencher
Making a return to cabinet after a stint on the back benches is Ken Cheveldayoff, who becomes minister of parks, culture and sport.
There's nothing unusual about that, Wall said.
"We do take the chance to bring back folks when we need a little bit of experience combined with some new renewal," Wall said. "So Chevy is going to provide that. And we have four private members that are coming to the cabinet."
Some continuing cabinet members are taking on new jobs:
- Don Morgan becomes Saskatchewan's new deputy premier, taking the powerful position McMorris used to have. He will also continue to be responsible for education and labour.
- Jim Reiter, formerly with government relations, now takes on the important health portfolio, while former health minister Dustin Duncan becomes minister of energy and resources.
- Jeremy Harrison is now minister of the economy. That's the job that longtime cabinet minister Bill Boyd held before his departure.
- Scott Moe becomes minister of environment, the job ex-cabinet minister Herb Cox used to have.
- Christine Tell becomes minister of central services.
- Donna Harpauer, formerly social services minister, is minister of government relations and the minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and northern affairs.
- Gord Wyant becomes the minister for SaskPower and corrections and policing. He retains his previous portfolio: justice.
Keeping their old jobs are Kevin Doherty (finance), Lyle Stewart (agriculture) and Greg Ottenbreit (rural and remote health).
Including Wall, the cabinet has 17 members, one fewer than earlier this year.