Belanger Switching Duties In Major Cabinet Shuffle
Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 15:48
Premier Lorne Calvert announced a major cabinet shuffle today.
The biggest change sees Pat Atkinson take over from Andrew Thomson as Finance Minister. Thomson has announced he won’t be running in the next provincial election.
Athabasca MLA Buckley Belanger is no longer the minister in charge of Community Resources and Employment. That portfolio has been handed to Kevin Yates, who is making a return to cabinet.
Belanger is the new Highways and Transportation minister — replacing Eldon Lautermilch, who also isn’t running in the next election. Belanger is also the new minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Transportation Company.
Northern Affairs Minister Joan Beatty remains in her post, as does First Nations and Metis Relations Minister Maynard Sonntag. However, Sonntag has also been handed the portfolios of Industry and Resources and the Forestry Secretatiat.
In other moves:
Ron Harper — the NDP MLA who reviewed the Northern Overtime Exemption — is now the Minister of Corrections and Public Safety.