Smaller cabinet shifts portfolios, eliminates departments
Premier Kathy Dunderdale (at microphone) speaks
to members of the media following the swearing-in of her cabinet Friday
morning at Government House. — Photo by Keith Gosse/The Telegram
Premier Kathy Dunderdale almost completely rearranged her team Friday morning, unveiling her post-election cabinet.
Of the 16 cabinet posts, only five ministers remained in the same spot they held before the Oct. 11 election.
Dunderdale also killed two government departments — Human Resources, Labour and Employment (HRLE) and Business — and managed to shrink the cabinet from 19 down to 16.
“If we could shrink the cabinet, that’s always something that you look at. You want to be efficient in terms of the work that you’re doing,” Dunderdale said. “We were able to trim cabinet by three ministers, and that’s a good thing to do.”
Much of HRLE will be folded into a new department headed by veteran minister Joan Burke.
As head of the new department “Advanced Education and Skills, and minister responsible for persons with disabilities and youth engagement,” Burke will also take in post-secondary education and trades issues.
“There’s a significant number of programs that are in HRLE that are going to the new department, but we’re putting a very particular focus on advanced studies and skills development and apprenticeships here in the province,” Dunderdale said.
“All of the other programs that we’ve moved into this new department are all cross-linked with the economy in significant ways, so it makes a lot of sense to have all of that.”
The Labour Relations agency will move to the Environment Department, and some of the HRLE regulatory functions will now come under the Department of Government Services, which has been rebranded as “Service Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Charlene Johnson stayed on as minister of child, youth and family services, and the minister responsible for the status of women.
Terry French moved into the role of environment minister, and minister responsible for the labour relations agency.
Tom Marshall will continue in his role as minister of finance.
Darin King became the minister of fisheries.
Susan Sullivan became the new minister of health and community services, taking over from Jerome Kennedy who took over as minister of natural resources.
Felix Collins stayed on as minister of justice and attorney general.
Kevin O’Brien kept his post as minister of municipal affairs.
Derrick Dalley took over as tourism and culture minister.
Tom Hedderson stayed on as minister of transportation and works, and minister responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corp.
There were three new faces in cabinet as well.Backbench MHA Paul Davis became the minister responsible for service Newfoundland and Labrador.
Keith Hutchings moved into the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, which will incorporate the old Innovation Trade and Rural Development, and also fold in the responsibilities of the now-defunct Department of Business.
Of the 16 cabinet posts, only five ministers remained in the same spot they held before the Oct. 11 election.
Dunderdale also killed two government departments — Human Resources, Labour and Employment (HRLE) and Business — and managed to shrink the cabinet from 19 down to 16.
“If we could shrink the cabinet, that’s always something that you look at. You want to be efficient in terms of the work that you’re doing,” Dunderdale said. “We were able to trim cabinet by three ministers, and that’s a good thing to do.”
Much of HRLE will be folded into a new department headed by veteran minister Joan Burke.
As head of the new department “Advanced Education and Skills, and minister responsible for persons with disabilities and youth engagement,” Burke will also take in post-secondary education and trades issues.
“There’s a significant number of programs that are in HRLE that are going to the new department, but we’re putting a very particular focus on advanced studies and skills development and apprenticeships here in the province,” Dunderdale said.
“All of the other programs that we’ve moved into this new department are all cross-linked with the economy in significant ways, so it makes a lot of sense to have all of that.”
The Labour Relations agency will move to the Environment Department, and some of the HRLE regulatory functions will now come under the Department of Government Services, which has been rebranded as “Service Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Charlene Johnson stayed on as minister of child, youth and family services, and the minister responsible for the status of women.
Terry French moved into the role of environment minister, and minister responsible for the labour relations agency.
Tom Marshall will continue in his role as minister of finance.
Darin King became the minister of fisheries.
Susan Sullivan became the new minister of health and community services, taking over from Jerome Kennedy who took over as minister of natural resources.
Felix Collins stayed on as minister of justice and attorney general.
Kevin O’Brien kept his post as minister of municipal affairs.
Derrick Dalley took over as tourism and culture minister.
Tom Hedderson stayed on as minister of transportation and works, and minister responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corp.
There were three new faces in cabinet as well.Backbench MHA Paul Davis became the minister responsible for service Newfoundland and Labrador.
Keith Hutchings moved into the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, which will incorporate the old Innovation Trade and Rural Development, and also fold in the responsibilities of the now-defunct Department of Business.
And rookie Labrador West MHA Nick McGrath will take on the roles of three former cabinet ministers, responsible for Labrador, Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Dunderdale said those three roles fit together naturally.
“It’s more important that aboriginal governments be in intergovernmental affairs because that’s where that work takes place, and I think that’s a more appropriate place for it, rather than stand alone,” she said. “In terms of Labrador Affairs, I would like to see that portfolio follow the minister, in the same way that the status of women portfolio follows a minister.”
Opposition parties were largely positive about the shuffle. Both the Liberals and the NDP have said for a long time that the Department of Business was unnecessary, and should be eliminated.
However, there was criticism that the new cabinet didn’t include a single MHA from St. John’s,
“While the premier may live in St. John’s, we all know that accessibility to a minister is very critical to the city, especially to businesses and industry that operate in the city,” Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones said. “Tom Osborne probably has more experience in the House of Assembly and in government than any other member that she has in her caucus. Why she chose not to appoint him, I certainly can’t answer for that.”
NDP MHA George Murphy, also questioned the lack of St. John’s representation, but said the four NDP members from the capital city will do a fine job of advocating for the people.
Deputy Mayor Shannie Duff didn’t seem too concerned, though. She said the city will just advocate directly to Dunderdale, who represents the St. John’s district of Virginia Waters.
“We’re not unrepresented, because actually we have the premier herself, who is the top dog,” she said. “I know she has a very busy lady, but she’ll be the person now that we have direct access with to discuss issues of concern.”
Murphy also questioned how the breakup of HRLE will go, especially when it comes to income support and social services.
“We don’t know where income assistance is gone, for example, and you know, where’s this department that’s helping out the most vulnerable, where do the people go?” he asked.
A spokesman for the government said services will not be interrupted, and as far as how exactly the division of responsibilities will happen, more details will be revealed next week.
Dunderdale said those three roles fit together naturally.
“It’s more important that aboriginal governments be in intergovernmental affairs because that’s where that work takes place, and I think that’s a more appropriate place for it, rather than stand alone,” she said. “In terms of Labrador Affairs, I would like to see that portfolio follow the minister, in the same way that the status of women portfolio follows a minister.”
Opposition parties were largely positive about the shuffle. Both the Liberals and the NDP have said for a long time that the Department of Business was unnecessary, and should be eliminated.
However, there was criticism that the new cabinet didn’t include a single MHA from St. John’s,
“While the premier may live in St. John’s, we all know that accessibility to a minister is very critical to the city, especially to businesses and industry that operate in the city,” Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones said. “Tom Osborne probably has more experience in the House of Assembly and in government than any other member that she has in her caucus. Why she chose not to appoint him, I certainly can’t answer for that.”
NDP MHA George Murphy, also questioned the lack of St. John’s representation, but said the four NDP members from the capital city will do a fine job of advocating for the people.
Deputy Mayor Shannie Duff didn’t seem too concerned, though. She said the city will just advocate directly to Dunderdale, who represents the St. John’s district of Virginia Waters.
“We’re not unrepresented, because actually we have the premier herself, who is the top dog,” she said. “I know she has a very busy lady, but she’ll be the person now that we have direct access with to discuss issues of concern.”
Murphy also questioned how the breakup of HRLE will go, especially when it comes to income support and social services.
“We don’t know where income assistance is gone, for example, and you know, where’s this department that’s helping out the most vulnerable, where do the people go?” he asked.
A spokesman for the government said services will not be interrupted, and as far as how exactly the division of responsibilities will happen, more details will be revealed next week.
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