CAMPBELL APPOINTS NEW CABINET FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA

VICTORIA – Premier Gordon Campbell began his second term as British Columbia’s Premier by appointing a 23-member Cabinet.

“We are going to focus on implementing and achieving the five Great Goals for the Golden Decade ahead,” said Campbell. “They will guide our actions and they will focus our energy. To secure our future in a changing and challenging world will require bold steps, clear vision and concerted action in which all British Columbians play a part.

“We will forge new relations with First Nations, founded on reconciliation, respect, and recognition of aboriginal rights and title,” said Campbell. Tom Christensen, the former Minister of Education, will serve as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

“British Columbia is at the vanguard of Canada’s future. We are at the crossroads between Asia and North America, and it is going to take a determined effort on our part to make sure all British Columbians benefit from this opportunity,” said Campbell. Colin Hansen, formerly Minister of Finance and Minister of Health Services, will be Minister of Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative and the Olympics.

“We will redouble our efforts to make B.C. a leader in modernizing the Canada Health Act for all Canadians, so that all British Columbians receive timely, quality public care, regardless of their income,” said Campbell. George Abbott, the former Minister of Sustainable Resource Management and Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, will serve as the Minister of Health.

“There will be a new focus on citizen-centred service, cross-government co-ordination and reaching out in new ways to make government more responsive to women, seniors, multicultural communities, and people with special needs,” said Campbell.

“We are going to build upon the spirit of democratic innovation and consolidate B.C.’s role as the nation’s driving force for democratic renewal. We will do that with new forums for direct citizen involvement through digital democracy and other means,” said Campbell. “This goes hand-in-hand with our achievements in reforming government through innovations such as set election dates and free votes in the legislature.”

New members of the B.C. Cabinet appointed today include: Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Wally Oppal as Attorney General; Kamloops MLA Claude Richmond as Minister of Employment and Income Assistance; East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett as Minister of State for Mining; Chilliwack-Kent MLA Barry Penner as Minister of Environment; Vancouver-Langara MLA Carole Taylor as Minister of Finance; and Richmond Centre MLA Olga Ilich as Minister of Tourism, Sports and the Arts.

Premier Campbell also appointed three Parliamentary Secretaries today: Dave Hayer will be Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism and Immigration; Richard Lee will be Parliamentary Secretary for the Asia-Pacific Initiative; and Val Roddick will be Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Planning.

“These are exciting times for British Columbia,” said Campbell. “This truly is our golden decade of opportunity. There will be many challenges along the way. As Premier, it will be my privilege to listen, learn and lead British Columbia.”

As mentioned in the February 2005 Speech from the Throne, B.C.’s five Great Goals for a Golden Decade are:

· to make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent;

· to strive to improve public health care and lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness;

· to build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk, and seniors;

· to lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management – bar none; and,

· to create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

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4 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Mike Morton Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218

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