B.C.含羞草研究社檚 new premier shook up cabinet this week, and Nanaimo含羞草研究社檚 MLA was part of the shuffle.
Sheila Malcolmson, who had been the minister of mental health and addictions for the past two years, is now minister of social development and poverty reduction.
The new cabinet was sworn in Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Government House in Victoria by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 really excited to take on this new role with social development and poverty reduction,含羞草研究社� Malcolmson said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 going to have some huge impacts for people in our community.含羞草研究社�
She said she met with Premier David Eby last month to talk about community priorities, passion projects and other files she含羞草研究社檇 like to focus on. Then, at the beginning of this week, she received a phone call from the premier asking her to take on a new role in cabinet.
含羞草研究社淚 really thought that I would be staying in mental health and addictions. We含羞草研究社檝e got some really good momentum on a lot of projects and there含羞草研究社檚 more to do, no doubt,含羞草研究社� Malcolmson said.
She talked about challenges and accomplishments during her time leading that ministry, during a pandemic, as drug toxicity increased and factors such as renewed residential school trauma, for example, created mental health pressures. She pointed to new programs and services such as complex care, hundreds of new treatment beds and staff positions, expansion of safe supply, and approval for decriminalization.
含羞草研究社淭here isn含羞草研究社檛 a jurisdiction that has used more tools that are available to provinces to try to save lives during the toxic drug crisis,含羞草研究社� Malcolmson said. 含羞草研究社淏ut I can含羞草研究社檛 say that the work is done while we continue to lose so many lives 含羞草研究社� So it含羞草研究社檚 very much mixed feelings that way. The imperative to build that system of care is even stronger than before.含羞草研究社�
Her work in mental health and addictions was life-or-death, and there is also urgency in her new role. British Columbians who have lost housing, for example, or who are vulnerable for a range of reasons rely on income assistance and other support. There含羞草研究社檚 a complex system in place to get people their cheques and help them in other ways.
含羞草研究社淭o now be minister for such a huge service-delivery ministry is going to be a very different job 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 a $4.5-billion budget, it含羞草研究社檚 got hundreds of employees,含羞草研究社� Malcolmson said.
She含羞草研究社檚 got 含羞草研究社渂inders upon binders含羞草研究社� of reading to do and had her first stakeholders含羞草研究社� meeting Friday, Dec. 9, with an employers含羞草研究社� group committed to hiring people with disabilities. She looks forward to working on food security and exploring ways community members can work together for better outcomes on that front. And she含羞草研究社檚 been asked to figure out further ways to reduce costs for British Columbians and get more money into their wallets.
含羞草研究社淲here we can add income supports and where we can get at the roots of poverty, that is an even more heightened responsibility given the [affordability] crisis that we含羞草研究社檙e feeling含羞草研究社卟菅芯可鐫 Malcolmson said. 含羞草研究社淧remier Eby has directed all of us in cabinet to work fast to get results for people because we know people are hurting.含羞草研究社�
The minister said the premier has assembled a strong and diverse cabinet and said she含羞草研究社檚 honoured to be a part of it.
含羞草研究社淚 was delighted to see who walked across the stage yesterday and I really commend the premier for his choices,含羞草研究社� Malcolmson said.
Both of Nanaimo含羞草研究社檚 other MLAs will have parliamentary secretary roles. Doug Routley, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA, is parliamentary secretary for forests and Adam Walker, Parksville-Qualicum MLA, is parliamentary secretary for sustainable economy.
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There were some major changes to cabinet, the most noteworthy being Katrine Conroy含羞草研究社檚 promotion to finance minister, replacing Selina Robinson who becomes minister for post-secondary education. Jennifer Whiteside succeeds Malcolmson as minister of mental health and addictions and Rachna Singh is the new minister of education and child care. Niki Sharma was announced as attorney general, Ravi Kahlon is minister of housing, Bruce Ralston is minister of forests, Anne Kang is minister of municipal affairs and Brenda Bailey becomes jobs minister.
Immediately following the appointments, Eby remarked that the new cabinet brings 含羞草研究社渋ncredible experience and a diversity of perspectives,含羞草研究社� and represents a 含羞草研究社渟trong team含羞草研究社� facing headwinds of inflation, economic uncertainty, health-care challenges, labour shortages, climate disasters and a toxic drug crisis.
含羞草研究社淏ritish Columbians understand we含羞草研究社檙e not going to solve all of these very significant problems overnight. Individually these are massive challenges; together, they set out the path of work for us ahead,含羞草研究社� Eby said. 含羞草研究社淏ritish Columbians expect us to show progress on these issues in ways that they can see, feel and touch in their communities 含羞草研究社� very real ways.含羞草研究社�
A day after the NDP government announced its cabinet, the B.C. Liberal Party announced its shadow cabinet. The B.C. Liberal caucus issued a press release calling the NDP含羞草研究社檚 new cabinet 含羞草研究社渟upersized含羞草研究社� and stating that things aren含羞草研究社檛 improving under B.C.含羞草研究社檚 current government.
含羞草研究社淥ur B.C. Liberal caucus remains committed to holding them to account for that lack of action in areas like health care, affordability and public safety, all while continuing to push government for bold responses to the various crises we must collectively tackle,含羞草研究社� said Kevin Falcon, leader of the B.C. Liberals, in a statement.
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