THE MOE ERA BEGINS
Lt.-Gov. Vaughn Solomon Schofield Celebrates the swearing in of Scott Moe As premier At Government House on Friday. We examine who is in, And out, of his cabinet.
Scott Moe gave some indication as to what his government’s priorities will be when he was sworn in as premier and announced his cabinet on Friday.
By keeping eight existing ministers (Donna Harpauer, Lyle Stewart, Jim Reiter, Dustin Duncan, Greg Ottenbreit, David Marit, Joe Hargrave and Paul Merriman) in their current roles, they continue working on the present state of affairs, particularly as it relates to the upcoming 2018-19 budget.
“We do need to have some degree of continuity as we go into this budgeting cycle, and then down the road we’ll have a look at this again,” Moe told reporters.
Finance Minister Harpauer is continuing in the job she has held since August. She said there was flexibility built into the budget to allow the new premier to implement certain promises and that she is “absolutely ” looking forward to delivering it.
Under Moe, the province will continue its three-year plan to get back to balance by 2019-20, but that could be a challenge and require another austerity budget.
With the budget currently slated for delivery March 20, Harpauer said that date may not be doable, but “we don’t want it to be too late” and she would hope to have it out before April.
In crafting his inaugural cabinet, Moe made adjustments where many thought they were needed. That included moving former education minister Bronwyn Eyre into the role of energy minister and replacing her with one of Moe’s former leadership rivals, Gord Wyant.
The move was immediately celebrated by those in the education sector, which had largely lost confidence in Eyre — stemming both from a tough budget year with high tension over contract negotiations, and controversy over her views on the manner of education about First Nations in classrooms.
Moe said that controversy “wasn’t a factor” in moving Eyre out of the file and Wyant’s new position, which also includes the deputy premier post, “signifies this government’s commitment to the education sector, but most importantly to the students and children across our province of Saskatchewan.”
Wyant spoke of a “new, respectful dialogue” he hopes to have with the province’s education sector.
Moe has promised to add 400 educational assistants and other educational professionals to classrooms, plus $30 million in added funding.
Saskatchewan’s new premier also made it clear the economy is a priority — no surprise, given that he campaigned on increasing the province’s immigration and exports.
Jeremy Harrison, a cabinet minister who resigned to take a short run at the leadership, will take on the roles of the Economy Ministry as it is rolled under a new name.
In naming Harrison head of the new Ministry of Export and Trade Development and Minister of Immigration and Careers Training, Moe is focusing on increased trade and immigration.
Moe said this was done “to ensure we have every opportunity to have access through trade agreements” and other arrangements to expand jobs and opportunities.
There is also a heightened focus on corrections. His rededication of a minister (Christine Tell) to Corrections, which was folded into Justice in 2017, indicates he has a priority in a costly area for government.
Larry Doke, Nancy Heppner and Steven Bonk were shuffled out of cabinet, while Warren Kaeding is the lone rookie in his new role as minister of government relations and minister of first nations, Metis and northern affairs.
Each of the MLAs who ran against Moe for the premiership were given cabinet portfolios. Beyond Wyant, Moe made Ken Cheveldayoff minister of central services and Tina Beaudry-Mellor minister of advanced education.
His chief rival, Alanna Koch, is not an MLA, but Moe said she would not be returning to her old job as head of the province’s civil service.
Moe capped off a busy Friday by announcing March 1 as the date for byelections in Kindersley, Swift Current and Melfort.