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South Okanagan Photos

Linda Larson and Dan Ashton appointed as parliamentary secretaries

Dan Ashton – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Responsible for Core Review. He will:

  • Use his experience as mayor of Penticton to help Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett undertake the government-wide core review process to ensure government is using its resources in the areas that can make the difference for citizens or the economy.

Linda Larson – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for Seniors. She will:

  • Work with seniors throughout the province to make sure the services we provide are able to be accessed by seniors and make recommendations to the minister on how to keep improving seniors’ health-care services.

 

Premier Christy Clark identified the following MLAs-elect to be sworn on June 10, 2013, as British Columbia’s next provincial executive council, and spoke about their primary areas of focus in their new duties. On Monday, full mandate letters will be issued to ministers.

The Deputy Premier and the Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing will be Rich Coleman. He will:

  • Ensure that British Columbia seizes the economic opportunity of a lifetime, liquefied natural gas, to create tens of thousands of new jobs and establish the Prosperity Fund that will put B.C. on the path to becoming debt-free.
  • Work with investors and companies to take projects from drawing board to operation.

The Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation will be John Rustad. He will:

  • Continue our success at securing non-treaty benefit agreements and secure a further 10 non-treaty benefit agreements.
  • Work with First Nations to ensure progress is made on long-term treaties and collaborate with all First Nations to share in the opportunities offered by liquefied natural gas and other economic development opportunities.

The Minister of Advanced Education will be Amrik Virk. He will:

  • Work to ensure B.C.’s post-secondary institutions stay on the cutting edge of research.
  • Ensure our institutions are equipped to prepare graduates for the jobs of the future, and ensure targets are set to match the skills B.C. needs with graduating students.
  • Work closely with the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and the Minister of Education to ensure a seamless delivery of education and skills training from high school through to entry in the workforce.

The Minister of Agriculture will be Pat Pimm. He will:

  • Work to ensure that British Columbians buy local B.C. agri-food products.
  • Ensure B.C. takes advantage of new market opportunities in Asia.
  • Work to break down interprovincial barriers to create new opportunities in Canada to market B.C. wine.

The Minister of Children and Family Development will be Stephanie Cadieux. She will:

  • Continue to implement the Early Years Strategy that ensures families and children receive the supports they need.
  • Work with the Minister of Finance to introduce the early childhood tax benefit and ensure maximum participation in this important family support program.

The Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development will be Coralee Oakes. She will:

  • Work to ensure communities are prepared for the liquefied natural gas opportunity including benefit agreements for impacted communities.
  • Work with local governments throughout the province to ensure we are ready to participate in the next round of federal infrastructure funding.
    • Continue efforts to create vibrant cultural and sporting opportunities throughout B.C.

he Minister of Education will be Peter Fassbender. He will:

  • Work toward achieving long-term labour stability in the province’s classrooms.
  • Continue education reforms in the BC Education Plan, including performance assessments and providing additional supports for teachers.
  • Work with the Minister of Finance to bring in the $1,200 BC Education and Training Grant to help parents invest in an RESP and save for their children’s post-secondary education.

The Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review will be Bill Bennett. He will:

  • Grow the clean energy sector and meet the commitments in the BC Jobs Plan to grow our mining industry.
  • Work to minimize rate increases at BC Hydro, and continue the development of Site C and other major new sources of energy to power B.C.’s growing economy and LNG industry.
  • Identify savings and efficiencies as part of a core review of government, and make recommendations to Cabinet on how to improve B.C.’s regulatory reform and red tape reduction.

The Minister of Environment will be Mary Polak. She will:

  • Work to preserve B.C.’s leadership in the fight against climate change and protect the majesty of B.C.’s natural environment.
  • Work to complete the marine and land-based studies as part of developing the five conditions for heavy oil pipelines in B.C.

The Minister of Finance and Government House Leader will be Michael de Jong. He will:

  • Deliver the main order of business at this summer’s legislative session by reintroducing Balanced Budget 2013.
  • Deliver three additional consecutive balanced budgets by controlling spending to hold the line on taxes for families, and help protect B.C.’s hard-earned triple-A credit rating.

The Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations will be Steve Thomson. He will:

  • Work to get to ‘yes’ faster through efficient, fair permitting for all mining and resource development applications.
  • Work with the forest industry to co-sponsor annual forest industry trade missions to Asia.
  • Work with forest communities on the mid-term timber supply report to sustain efforts that, despite challenges like the pine beetle devastation, are making B.C.’s forest industry a sunrise industry again.

The Minister of Health will be Terry Lake. He will:

  • Work to maintain B.C.’s leadership for the best health outcomes in Canada.
  • Continue to drive innovation and change across the system to ensure costs stay among the lowest per capita in Canada.
  • Execute the government’s end-of-life care plan to double the number of hospice beds by 2020.

The Minister of International Trade, Minister Responsible for Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism will be Teresa Wat. She will:

  • Develop and execute the government’s international trade strategy as part of the BC Jobs Plan.
  • Ensure the government serves, speaks to, and is accessible to the province’s diverse population.
  • Work with private-sector partners and the federal government to implement the Asian head office strategy that will make B.C. the first choice for Asian companies looking to locate in North America.

The Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour will be Shirley Bond. She will:

  • Lead the acceleration of the BC Jobs Plan.
  • Ensure that British Columbians are first in line for the jobs of today and tomorrow by developing a comprehensive 10-year skills training plan.
  • Work with private-sector union partners to ensure B.C.’s labour code meets the needs of employees and people who want to invest in B.C.

Reporting to Bond, the Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business will be Naomi Yamamoto. She will:

  • Ensure the completion of the Small Business Accord to make sure small businesses are heard and continue to grow in B.C.
  • Work with the ministers of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training; and Finance to plan for a 40 per cent reduction of the small business tax rate.
  • Ensure B.C. remains a global destination of choice for visitors.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General will be Suzanne Anton. She will:

  • Work to enhance public safety and security for all B.C. residents and implement the Domestic Violence Prevention Strategy.
  • Ensure reforms from our comprehensive review of the justice system are implemented, including greater court efficiencies to reduce backlogs.
  • Begin consultations to modernize B.C.’s liquor laws.

The Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation will be Don McRae. He will:

  • Ensure that significant reforms we have made at Community Living British Columbia are fully implemented and benefitting families.
  • Continue efforts to assist people with disabilities earn an income.
  • Deliver on the government’s commitment to make B.C. Canada’s most progressive province for people and families living with disabilities.

The Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services will be Andrew Wilkinson. He will:

  • Work to grow B.C.’s technology industry and make it a significant contributor to the BC Jobs Plan.
    • Successfully implement the new BC Services Card that will revolutionize service delivery.
    • Continue efforts to be open and accessible to citizens wishing to access information online and engage with government in new ways.

The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Deputy House Leader will be Todd Stone. He will:

  • Ensure continued investment in the province’s infrastructure, which is so critical to achieving a healthy and growing economy.
  • Lead efforts to complete the South Fraser Perimeter Road and the four-laning of the Trans-Canada Highway.
  • Continue progress to replace the George Massey Tunnel.
  • Ensure that the public approves any new funding sources for transit improvements in Metro Vancouver.

 

BACKGROUNDER 2

 

 

Parliamentary Secretary appointees

 

Norm Letnick – Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier for Intergovernmental Affairs. He will:

  • Work with the Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat in the Premier’s Office to further the interests of British Columbia at intergovernmental events.

Greg Kyllo – Parliamentary Secretary for the BC Jobs Plan to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training. He will:

  • Use his experience as a business owner to work with government to update and continue implementing the BC Jobs Plan.

Linda Reimer – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development for Communities. She will:

  • Draw on her experience in municipal government, and work with communities to build strong partnerships across the province.

Jane Thornthwaite – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education for Student Support and Parent Engagement. She will:

  • Continue her work in education to ensure parents and students receive the support they need for strong student performances in our public schools.

Marc Dalton – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education for the Independent School Sector. He will:

  • Continue his work with the ministry to ensure independent schools are supported by government, and that we have an open dialogue between government and this sector that provides parents with choice in how their children are taught.

Donna Barnett – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations for Rural Development. She will:

  • Will use her passion for rural British Columbia to make sure our government is helping build the economy in these important regions of the province.

Dan Ashton – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Responsible for Core Review. He will:

  • Use his experience as mayor of Penticton to help Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett undertake the government-wide core review process to ensure government is using its resources in the areas that can make the difference for citizens or the economy.

Linda Larson – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for Seniors. She will:

  • Work with seniors throughout the province to make sure the services we provide are able to be accessed by seniors and make recommendations to the minister on how to keep improving seniors’ health-care services.

Michelle Stilwell – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for Healthy Living. She will:

  • Use her experience as a high-performance athlete to work with medical professionals and make recommendations to the minister on how government can support healthy living and preventative health measures to keep B.C.’s citizens healthy and out of hospital.

Darryl Plecas – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Crime Reduction. He will:

  • Use his experience as a criminologist to chair a blue ribbon panel to study crime reduction opportunities.

Laurie Throness – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Corrections. He will:

  • Work with stakeholders in the corrections field to propose changes and improvements to how we protect staff, inmates and the communities in which correctional facilities are located.

John Yap – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Liquor Policy Reform. He will:

  • Lead the stakeholder consultation on modernizing B.C.’s antiquated liquor laws and recommend improvements to the minister to take to Cabinet.

Jordan Sturdy – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for Transportation. He will:

  • Work with communities as they contemplate transit and infrastructure improvements for their residents.

Richard T. Lee – Parliamentary Secretary for the Asia Pacific Strategy to the Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism. He will:

  • Continue his work as Parliamentary Secretary for Asia Pacific and help the minister as she develops her Asia Pacific strategy focussed on expanding our trading opportunities in Asia.