Horgan sworn in as Premier

It’s official. John Horgan is now the Premier.

The NDP Leader was sworn in this afternoon and he wants to hit the ground running and plans to start fulfilling his campaign promises immediately.

“We’re going to look at making sure that we’re increasing income assistance rates for people with disabilities and people on income assistance and also ensuring that we’re doing our level best to reduce costs in a whole range of other areas.”

Another thing he believes he can start this summer is initiating relationships with other governments.

‘I have been in conversation with the premiers of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec and I’ve been in touch with the federal government several times. I’m anxious to get back to Ottawa and sit down face-to-face with the Prime Minister and talk about our mutual interests here in British Columbia.”

The new cabinet is gender-equal, evenly split among 11 women and 11 men.

• Jinny Sims – Minister of Citizens’ Services
• Harry Bains – Minister of Labour
• David Eby – Attorney General of British Columbia
• Claire Trevena – Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
• Adrian Dix – Minister of Health
• Lana Popham – Minister of Agriculture
• Judy Darcy – Minister of Mental Health & Addictions
• Katrine Conroy – Minister of Children & Family Development
• Katrina Chen – Minister of Children & Family Development
• Shane Simpson – Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
• Rob Fleming – Minister of Education
• Melanie Mark – Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training
• Michelle Mungall – Minister of Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources
• George Heyman – Minister of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
• Carole James – Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier
• Selina Robinson – Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
• Doug Donaldson – Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
• George Chow – Minister of State for Trade
• Scott Fraser – Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
• Bruce Ralston – Minister of Jobs, Trade & Technology
• Mike Farnworth – Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Lisa Beare – Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture

“We have a great and diverse and dynamic group of people with experience. We’re going to bring that to bear on government,” says Horgan.

Longtime Stikine MLA Doug Donaldson is hoping for a smooth transition into his new role, which he says will include talks with former Forest Minister John Rustad.

“He’s offered to do this in a non-partisan approach and I think that’s exactly the kind of approach that needs to take place when we have an emergency situation like we do with the wildfires.”