Five ministers get new portfolios as Moe shuffles cabinet

Premier Scott Moe shuffled his cabinet Tuesday, moving five ministers to new portfolios, adding two new MLAs to cabinet and keeping 10 ministers in their current jobs.

Bronwyn Eyre moves from Energy and Resources to become Saskatchewan’s first-ever female Minister of Justice and Attorney General — even though she hasn’t practised law in her career.

“Other provinces have appointed ministers that haven’t even attended law school, for that matter, so I don’t think in any way is that a prerequisite to serve as a Minister of Justice,” Moe told reporters at Government House.

Moe said given Eyre’s recent history as the Minister of Energy and Resources, “she most certainly has the experience” the government will need to preserve the opportunities of growth that exist for the province.

Eyre noted she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law in 1996 and has a background in the profession, even though she didn’t work as a lawyer. She believes her time in her previous ministry also will help.

“I certainly found myself dusting off my my skills regularly — daily — and so that will now obviously go to a broader level,” Eyre said.

“But my belief in the justice system, my belief in due process (and) my belief in protections under the law run very, very deep. I will represent legal stakeholders, community stakeholders (and) my government in this role to the absolute best of my ability.”

Jim Reiter moves to Energy and Resources from SaskBuilds and Procurement and the minister responsible for the Public Service Commission, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority and the Global Transportation Hub.

Gene Makowsky shifts from Advanced Education to Social Services, while Lori Carr goes from Social Services to SaskBuilds and Procurement and minister responsible for the Public Service Commission and the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

Gordon Wyant, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, moves to Advanced Education.

Two MLAs are being added to cabinet for the first time.

Jeremy Cockrill becomes Minister of Highways and also gets responsibility for the Water Security Agency. He replaces Fred Bradshaw in that portfolio.

“Thinking back to the election in October of 2020, it was pretty humbling for me to be selected by the constituents of the Battlefords to represent them here at the Legislative Assembly,” Cockrill said.

“Then, when you get a call from the premier asking you to serve in this other capacity and serve all the people of the province, humbling is really maybe the best way to put it.”

Dana Skoropad becomes Minister of Environment, replacing Warren Kaeding. Skoropad said his focus will be on connecting environment initiatives in the province with its economic goals, with climate change top of mind.

“The science is, I would suggest, irrefutable when it comes to climate change,” Skoropad said. “It’s a matter of how can my ministry now and the folks that I’ll be working with, how can we best move forward to address it while at the same time respecting the fact that people need to make a living.”

Moe said both of the new ministers are ready for the challenge.

“They’ve proved themselves to be not only a good representative — a tremendous representative, I would say — of the folks that put them here in their respective constituencies but have proven to be leaders among our caucus members as well,” he said.

“They are individuals that people will go to, with questions and concerns and thoughts on how things operate in government.”

Keeping their current portfolios in cabinet are:

• Donna Harpauer (Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance);
• Don Morgan (Minister of Crown Investments Corporation and becomes minister responsible for all major Crown corporations, including SaskEnergy, SGI, SaskPower, SaskTel, SaskGaming and SaskWater; remains Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety and Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board);
• Dustin Duncan (Minister of Education);
• Christine Tell (Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety);
• Jeremy Harrison (Minister of Trade and Export Development and Minister of Immigration and Career Training, Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan and Minister Responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan);
• David Marit (Minister of Agriculture and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation);
• Paul Merriman (Minister of Health);
• Don McMorris (Minister of Government Relations, Minister Responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs, and Minister Responsible for the Provincial Capital Commission);
• Laura Ross (Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women); and,
• Everett Hindley (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health).

The size of the cabinet remains unchanged at 18, including the premier.

A new Sustainable Growth Secretariat will be created within Executive Council and will be overseen by Moe under his existing responsibility for Intergovernmental Affairs.

Moe said part of the reason for the cabinet shuffle was to show Saskatchewan would “create every opportunity” for growth and investment in the province.

“What you’re seeing here today are some minor adjustments that are going to ensure that Saskatchewan is going to be achieved to continue with the success that we’ve had most recently, and achieve all that we can be in the future,” he said.

NDP reacts to shuffle

In a statement, NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the shuffle indicates “a status quo approach” to many of the issues addressing the people of the province.

“The Sask. Party had the opportunity to show that they have been listening to the concerns raised by families across this province and put in place ministers ready to do the work,” Meili wrote. “Instead, they’ve maintained the very ministers who take their marching orders and continue to sit on their hands.”

The Opposition’s biggest complaint was Moe keeping Merriman as the health minister. According to Meili, Merriman’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been up to par.

“Maintaining him in this role sends a clear signal to frontline workers and will create clear challenges when it comes to the retention and recruitment of health-care workers to this province,” Meili wrote.