New Brunswick Cabinet Shuffle
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs shuffled his cabinet after a month of political drama that has caught national attention. In today’s shuffle, two ministers have been dropped from cabinet; Jeff Carr was Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, and Daniel Allain had been Minister of Local Government and Local Governance Reform.
The new entrants to cabinet are:
- Richard Ames at Transportation and Infrastructure (had been serving as Government Whip, therefore another MLA will be appointed to that role)
- Greg Turner as Minister responsible for Opportunities New Brunswick and Minister of Economic Development and Small Business (had been serving as Government Caucus Chair, therefore another MLA will need to occupy that role)
- Mary Wilson as Minister of Service New Brunswick (had been dropped from cabinet in 2022)
- Sherry Wilson as Minister responsible for Women’s Equality and Minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health Services (had been dropped from cabinet following the 2020 election. Was serving as deputy speaker of the Legislature; the government will now have to put forth another MLA to serve in that role)
- Kathy Bockus as Minister responsible for Seniors.
Existing ministers with changes to their roles are:
- Jill Green as Minister of Social Development
- Arlene Dunn as Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
- Glen Savoie as Minister of Local Government
Within the last two weeks, two previous ministers resigned from the cabinet, after expressing disagreement with the Premier. They were Dorothy Shephard, who had served as Minister of Social Development, and long-time MLA Trevor Holder, who held the Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour portfolio.
The full list of ministers is below:
- Blaine Higgs – Premier, President of the Executive Council and Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs
- Hugh John (Ted) Flemming – Minister of Justice and Attorney General
- Kris Austin – Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- Richard Ames* – Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
- Margaret Johnson – Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries
- Jill Green* – Minister of Social Development, Minister responsible for the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation and Minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation
- Bill Hogan – Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
- Ernie Steeves – Minister of Finance and Treasury Board
- Arlene Dunn* – Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Minister responsible for Immigration
- Greg Turner* – Minister responsible for Opportunities NB and Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business
- Gary Crossman – Minister of Environment and Climate Change
- Réjean Savoie – Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation
- Glen Savoie* – Minister of Local Government and Minister responsible for la Francophonie
- Bruce Fitch – Minister of Health
- Mary Wilson* – Minister of Service New Brunswick and Minister responsible for Military Affairs
- Tammy Scott-Wallace* – Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture
- Mike Holland – Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development
- Sherry Wilson* – Minister responsible for Women’s Equality and Minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health Services
- Kathy Bockus* – Minister responsible for Seniors
