Comox Valley MLA Don McRae was named education minister Wednesday morning as Premier Christy Clark announced her new cabinet.
McRae was minister of agriculture before the cabinet shuffle.
He is also on the prestigious priorities and planning committee with the premier, Rich Coleman, Pat Bell, Michael de Jong, G.P. Vanier grad Colin Hansen and others.
McRae is on the Cabinet Working Group on Family Affordability and Cabinet Committee on Families First. Hansen, finance minister under Gordon Campbell, is also on the Treasury Board.
The new cabinet has 16 ministers and two ministers of state, plus the premier. No new ministries were added.
There is a new cabinet working group focused on family affordability, and the cabinet committee on jobs and economic growth now includes skills training.
The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation has been realigned as the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, with the same minister also responsible for Labour. The Ministry for Advanced Education is now also responsible for Innovation and Technology.
Executive council:
Premier - Hon. Christy Clark
Minister for Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and Minister Responsible for Housing and Deputy Premier - Hon. Rich Coleman
Minister of Finance - Hon. Mike de Jong
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation - Hon. Ida Chong
Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology and Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism - John Yap
Minister of Agriculture - Hon. Norm Letnick
Minister of Children and Family Development - Hon. Stephanie Cadieux
Minister of Citizens' Services and Open Government - Hon. Ben Stewart
Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development - Hon. Bill Bennett
Minister of Education - Hon. Don McRae
Minister of Environment - Hon. Terry Lake
Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations - Hon. Steve Thomson
Minister of Health - Hon. Margaret MacDiarmid
Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour - Hon. Pat Bell
Minister of Justice and Attorney General - Hon. Shirley Bond
Minister of Social Development - Hon. Moira Stilwell
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure - Hon. Mary Polak
Minister of State for Small Business - Hon. Naomi Yamamoto
Minister of State for Seniors - Hon. Ralph Sultan.
Additionally, nine MLAs have been named as parliamentary secretaries, and will work with ministers to focus on key initiatives of government, such as independent schools, student support and engagement, Asia-Pacific, and forestry. Doug Horne will serve as the parliamentary secretary to the Premier.
Mike de Jong will serve as the Government House Leader and Terry Lake will be the Deputy Government House Leader. Eric Foster will be the Government Whip and Pat Pimm will be Deputy Whip.
Parliamentary Secretaries:
Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier - Doug Horne
Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Communities to the Minister Community, Sport and Cultural Development - Donna Barnett
Parliamentary Secretary for Asia Pacific to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training - Richard Lee
Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry to the Minister of Forests, Land and Natural Resource Operations - John Rustad
Parliamentary Secretary for Independent Schools to the Minister of Education - Marc Dalton
Parliamentary Secretary for Student Support and Parent Engagement to the Minister of Education - Jane Thornthwaite
Parliamentary Secretary for Non-Profit Partnerships to the Minister of Social Development - Gordon Hogg
Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation & Technology to the Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology - Ron Cantelon
Parliamentary Secretary for the Northeast to the Minister of Energy, Mines, and Natural Gas - Pat Pimm.
Cabinet Committees:
Priorities and Planning Committee
Premier Christy Clark (Chair)
Rich Coleman (Vice Chair)
Pat Bell
Michael de Jong
Mary Polak
Don McRae
Bill Bennett
Terry Lake
Colin Hansen
John Les
Treasury Board
Mike de Jong (Chair)
Shirley Bond (Vice-Chair)
Ida Chong
Rich Coleman
Pat Bell
Terry Lake
Ben Stewart
Colin Hansen
John Les
John Rustad
Doug Horne
Cabinet Working Group on Family Affordability
Mike De Jong (Chair)
Bill Bennett (Vice Chair)
Rich Coleman
Mary Polak
Don McRae
Cabinet Committee on Jobs & Skills Training
Pat Bell (Chair)
Mary Polak (Vice Chair)
John Yap
Steve Thomson
Blair Lekstrom
Naomi Yamamoto
Donna Barnett
Harry Bloy
Rob Howard
Richard Lee
Ron Cantelon
Dave Hayer
Cabinet Committee on Families First
Margaret MacDiarmid (Chair)
Stephanie Cadieux (Vice Chair)
Don McRae
Moira Stilwell
Ralph Sultan
Marc Dalton
Gordon Hogg
Joan McIntyre
Jane Thornthwaite
Mary McNeil
Cabinet Committee on Open Government and Engagement
Ben Stewart (Chair)
Stephanie Cadieux (Vice Chair)
John Yap
Ralph Sultan
Gordon Hogg
Kevin Krueger
Richard Lee
John Slater
Environment and Land Use Committee
Steve Thomson (Chair)
Terry Lake (Vice Chair)
Bill Bennett
Rich Coleman
Ida Chong
Murray Coell
Eric Foster
Randy Hawes
Pat Pimm
John Rustad
Norm Letnick
Legislative Review Committee
Shirley Bond (Chair)
Michael de Jong (Vice Chair)
Blair Lekstrom
Ida Chong
Doug Horne
Norm Letnick
John Rustad
Ralph Sultan
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
General Responsibilities
* K-12 standards and accountability
* K-12 funding
* Independent schools
* Community schools
* Action Schools! BC programs
* Early childhood development
* Literacy
* Libraries
* Early Learning Agency
* StrongStart BC Centres
Major Agencies, Boards and Commissions
* Education Advisory Council
* BC College of Teachers
* Learning Roundtable