B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 new premier shook up cabinet this week, and Nanaimo香蕉视频直播檚 MLA was part of the shuffle.

Sheila Malcolmson, who had been the minister of mental health and addictions for the past two years, is now minister of social development and poverty reduction.

The new cabinet was sworn in Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Government House in Victoria by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 really excited to take on this new role with social development and poverty reduction,香蕉视频直播� Malcolmson said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 going to have some huge impacts for people in our community.香蕉视频直播�

She said she met with Premier David Eby last month to talk about community priorities, passion projects and other files she香蕉视频直播檇 like to focus on. Then, at the beginning of this week, she received a phone call from the premier asking her to take on a new role in cabinet.

香蕉视频直播淚 really thought that I would be staying in mental health and addictions. We香蕉视频直播檝e got some really good momentum on a lot of projects and there香蕉视频直播檚 more to do, no doubt,香蕉视频直播� Malcolmson said.

She talked about challenges and accomplishments during her time leading that ministry, during a pandemic, as drug toxicity increased and factors such as renewed residential school trauma, for example, created mental health pressures. She pointed to new programs and services such as complex care, hundreds of new treatment beds and staff positions, expansion of safe supply, and approval for decriminalization.

香蕉视频直播淭here isn香蕉视频直播檛 a jurisdiction that has used more tools that are available to provinces to try to save lives during the toxic drug crisis,香蕉视频直播� Malcolmson said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut I can香蕉视频直播檛 say that the work is done while we continue to lose so many lives 香蕉视频直播� So it香蕉视频直播檚 very much mixed feelings that way. The imperative to build that system of care is even stronger than before.香蕉视频直播�

Her work in mental health and addictions was life-or-death, and there is also urgency in her new role. British Columbians who have lost housing, for example, or who are vulnerable for a range of reasons rely on income assistance and other support. There香蕉视频直播檚 a complex system in place to get people their cheques and help them in other ways.

香蕉视频直播淭o now be minister for such a huge service-delivery ministry is going to be a very different job 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 a $4.5-billion budget, it香蕉视频直播檚 got hundreds of employees,香蕉视频直播� Malcolmson said.

She香蕉视频直播檚 got 香蕉视频直播渂inders upon binders香蕉视频直播� of reading to do and had her first stakeholders香蕉视频直播� meeting Friday, Dec. 9, with an employers香蕉视频直播� group committed to hiring people with disabilities. She looks forward to working on food security and exploring ways community members can work together for better outcomes on that front. And she香蕉视频直播檚 been asked to figure out further ways to reduce costs for British Columbians and get more money into their wallets.

香蕉视频直播淲here we can add income supports and where we can get at the roots of poverty, that is an even more heightened responsibility given the [affordability] crisis that we香蕉视频直播檙e feeling香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈�� Malcolmson said. 香蕉视频直播淧remier Eby has directed all of us in cabinet to work fast to get results for people because we know people are hurting.香蕉视频直播�

The minister said the premier has assembled a strong and diverse cabinet and said she香蕉视频直播檚 honoured to be a part of it.

香蕉视频直播淚 was delighted to see who walked across the stage yesterday and I really commend the premier for his choices,香蕉视频直播� Malcolmson said.

Both of Nanaimo香蕉视频直播檚 other MLAs will have parliamentary secretary roles. Doug Routley, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA, is parliamentary secretary for forests and Adam Walker, Parksville-Qualicum MLA, is parliamentary secretary for sustainable economy.

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There were some major changes to cabinet, the most noteworthy being Katrine Conroy香蕉视频直播檚 promotion to finance minister, replacing Selina Robinson who becomes minister for post-secondary education. Jennifer Whiteside succeeds Malcolmson as minister of mental health and addictions and Rachna Singh is the new minister of education and child care. Niki Sharma was announced as attorney general, Ravi Kahlon is minister of housing, Bruce Ralston is minister of forests, Anne Kang is minister of municipal affairs and Brenda Bailey becomes jobs minister.

Immediately following the appointments, Eby remarked that the new cabinet brings 香蕉视频直播渋ncredible experience and a diversity of perspectives,香蕉视频直播� and represents a 香蕉视频直播渟trong team香蕉视频直播� facing headwinds of inflation, economic uncertainty, health-care challenges, labour shortages, climate disasters and a toxic drug crisis.

香蕉视频直播淏ritish Columbians understand we香蕉视频直播檙e not going to solve all of these very significant problems overnight. Individually these are massive challenges; together, they set out the path of work for us ahead,香蕉视频直播� Eby said. 香蕉视频直播淏ritish Columbians expect us to show progress on these issues in ways that they can see, feel and touch in their communities 香蕉视频直播� very real ways.香蕉视频直播�

A day after the NDP government announced its cabinet, the B.C. Liberal Party announced its shadow cabinet. The B.C. Liberal caucus issued a press release calling the NDP香蕉视频直播檚 new cabinet 香蕉视频直播渟upersized香蕉视频直播� and stating that things aren香蕉视频直播檛 improving under B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 current government.

香蕉视频直播淥ur B.C. Liberal caucus remains committed to holding them to account for that lack of action in areas like health care, affordability and public safety, all while continuing to push government for bold responses to the various crises we must collectively tackle,香蕉视频直播� said Kevin Falcon, leader of the B.C. Liberals, in a statement.

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