Longtime MLA and Political Analyst Shirley Bond was a bit surprised by Premier David Eby’s cabinet shuffle today. (Thursday)
The shuffle comes just eight months after Eby’s cabinet was revealed following the NDP’s win in the 2024 provincial election.
“When you look at what happened here, the rationale is related to growing the economy and dealing with issues like public safety in an effective way, those were issues when this government got elected,” Bond said.
“I think this is an opportunity for the Premier to try to change the channel, when he looks at the results that the first cabinet had, and the needs that British Columbians had.”
Bond said Garry Begg being removed from the Public Safety and Solicitor General role and being moved into a Parliamentary Secretary role is a significant statement.
“Dealing with economic growth, the Premier has moved Ravi Kahlon out of housing into jobs and the economy,” Bond said.
“We certainly have seen some pretty big challenges with housing in the province, and now we’re going to see that Minister in charge of economic growth, obviously a critical ministry as we look at the ongoing discussions about tariffs and the relationship with the United States.”
One appointment Prince George residents will have their eye on is Christine Boyle, who will be taking on the Housing and Municipal Affairs portfolio.
“It will be a new relationship building exercise for our City Council, and there are some big challenges,” Bond said.
“Our City Council has had some success when it comes to gaining more housing, particularly for the vulnerable in Prince George, it’s an issue I certainly hear about every single day.”
Bond said she’s hopeful City Council will reach out to Boyle quickly to get to know her and bring her up to speed on the challenges the City has been facing.
Now, he’s been moved to the Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation portfolio.
“One of the challenges when you make a shuffle is that it takes time to get up to speed all over again,” Bond said.
“This cabinet has basically just begun its work months ago, and here we are, now we have new Ministers in absolutely critical ministries, like Indigenous Relations.”
Bond added that one of the things that concerns her is that we now have Ministers in critical ministries that have to get up to speed.
“There’s no time to be wasting here, we know the economy and ensuring that we have a strong private sector economy that’s creating jobs is critical to every government, not six or eight months in,”
“When you look at the issue of public safety, not a day goes by we don’t hear about things like catch and release, and ongoing business challenges with rampant shoplifting, the stories just continue every day. These Ministers have their work cut out for them.”
Bond said she hopes the new Ministers will be able to get up to speed quickly.
“I’d like to see that they recognize the important issues facing northern British Columbia,”
“I think it’s fair to say that often we feel that we’re not heard. I am hopeful that these Ministers recognize their responsibility to the people of northern British Columbia as well.”
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