It could be one of B.C.’s quickest cabinets in history, if the Liberals don’t find a way to cling to power and prevent the NDP-Green alliance from taking office.
Premier Christy Clark named her caretaker cabinet Monday, one that immediately dumped the long-standing Liberal demand of requiring a referendum for any new revenue source for TransLink. A non-confidence vote by the NDP and Green parties is expected to defeat the B.C. Liberal government by the end of the month.
But newcomer Lisa Beare wants to get a move on.
“It’s a short-lived formality,” said the NDPer for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.
“It’s not helping B.C. It’s time for us to get back in the legislature. It’s time for Christy Clark to face defeat as quickly as possible so we can finally form the new government that people voted for.
“We feel there’s been enough delays and distractions.”
If or when the NPD-Alliance does take power, Beare didn’t want to guess how long such an alliance will last.
There’s an opioid crisis and housing crisis while the education system remains waiting for the money promised by the Liberals after losing the Supreme Court challenge of their gutting class size.
She wouldn’t speculate on which piece of legislation, such party finance rules, that a NDP-Green alliance would start first.
“There’s a lot of things that need to happen as soon as possible.”
Green party candidate Peter Tam, who ran in Maple Ridge-Mission, wants the NDP members to work together and solve some of the problems in Maple Ridge, such as homelessness, transportation and education funding.
He said the Green party wants to make its partnership with the NDP as stable as possible for four years to allow some laws to be passed. “I guess the worst fear is another election.”
That wouldn’t solve anything and just present the same result, he said.
Clark on Monday appointed Vancouver-False Creek MLA Sam Sullivan as minister responsible for communities and Translink, and he immediately announced that the government will move quickly to “scrap” the requirement that Metro Vancouver have a referendum on future transit expansions.
Other newcomers to the B.C. Liberal cabinet include Skeena MLA Ellis Ross, who takes over responsibility for natural gas development. A former chief of the Haisla Nation, Ross advocated liquefied natural gas export from his Kitimat-area community before running provincially.
Former TV reporter Jas Johal did a stint representing the B.C. LNG Alliance before winning the new seat of Richmond-Queensboro for the B.C. Liberals May 9. He takes over as minister of technology, innovation and citizens’ services, replacing Amrik Virk, another Metro Vancouver cabinet minister defeated by an NDP challenger May 9.
Second-term West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jordan Sturdy takes over as environment minister.
Cabinet veteran Rich Coleman moves from natural gas to energy and mines, replacing the retired Bill Bennett. Langley MLA Mary Polak moves from environment to health, replacing the retired Terry Lake, and former speaker Linda Reid goes back to cabinet in charge of advanced education.
Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Andrew Wilkinson is appointed justice minister, replacing Suzanne Anton, who was defeated by the NDP’s George Chow in Vancouver-Fraserview.
The ministers appointed today are:
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation: John Rustad, Nechako Lakes
Attorney General and Minister of Justice: Andrew Wilkinson, Vancouver-Quilchena
Minister of Agriculture: Norm Letnick, Kelowna Lake Country
Minister of Children and Family Development: Stephanie Cadieux, Surrey South
Minister of Education: Mike Bernier, Peace River South
Minister of Health: Mary Polak, Langley
Minister of Finance: Michael De Jong, Abbotsford West
Minister of Forests, Lands and National Resource Operations: Steve Thomson, Kelowna-Mission
Minister of State for Rural Economic Development: Donna Barnett, Cariboo-Chilcotin
Minister of International Trade and Minister responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism: Teresa Wat, Richmond North Centre.
– – with Black Press files