Premier Ujjal Dosanjh tried valiantly to put a fresh face on British Columbia's scandal-scarred NDP government yesterday, unveiling a cabinet shuffle that changes 13 ministers' portfolios.
All but two of the ministers Mr. Dosanjh appointed yesterday have at one time or another held a cabinet post in the past two terms of NDP government, leading Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell to call them "the same old gang."
But at a ceremony in Victoria, Mr. Dosanjh described his cabinet as a "a new government," using the word "new" 12 times in a short speech after the ministers were sworn in at Government House.
"This is the new face of a new government moving in a new direction," he said to applause. "We are strong of heart and short of time." (An election must be called by June, 2001.)
Mr. Dosanjh is trying to set himself apart from the autocratic style of former premier Glen Clark, who resigned last August.
The New Democratic Party government, which promised a balanced budget during the 1996 election campaign, has come under attack for financial fiascoes under Mr. Clark. These included massive overspending on fast ferries, so-called "fudge-it budgets," and huge deficits, expected to reach $1.4-billion this year. "I think you will see a lot of change in the direction," Mr. Dosanjh said later. "You have seen the shift of 13 ministries and five new ministers. But at the end of the day, I'm the new face."
Mr. Dosanjh, who has promised to make B.C. politics more congenial, ushered back into cabinet several former ministers who endorsed his leadership after leaving cabinet before Mr. Clark resigned last summer. The former attorney-general promoted the fact that the new cabinet includes a record nine women and deflected questions about dumping ministers who supported leadership rival Gordon Wilson.
"We're a family," he said. "When you can't be in cabinet, sometimes there are frustrations."
He kept his two leadership rivals, Corky Evans and Mr. Wilson, in cabinet but ousted several ministers who endorsed Mr. Wilson's leadership bid. Mr. Evans keeps his Agriculture portfolio and gains Fisheries and Rural Development.
Mr. Wilson, who has now held five portfolios in over a year, lost the B.C. Ferries and Education ministries to become Minister of Employment and Investment. His only supporter in cabinet to survive the shakeup was Transportation Minister Harry Lali, who has strong support in the province's Indo-Canadian community. But Moe Sihota, former social development and economic security minister, was dropped as was Helmut Giesbrecht, former public service minister, and Dennis Streifel, former fisheries minister. Lois Boone, former children and families minister, who also endorsed Mr. Wilson, announced last week she was stepping down from cabinet.
Most of Mr. Wilson's supporters in the NDP's 40-member caucus had supported Mr. Clark.
"It's the Premier's perogative to select who he puts in and who he does not put in the cabinet," said Mr. Wilson.
Joy MacPhail, the former finance minister who resigned from Mr. Clark's cabinet and later dropped out of the leadership race to endorse Mr. Dosanjh, resurfaced yesterday as Deputy Premier and Labour Minister. Sue Hammell, who quit as women's equality minister and supported Mr. Dosanjh's leadership bid, was made Minister of Public Service, Multiculturalism and Immigration. Cathy McGregor, who lost her cabinet post as environment minister under Mr. Clark last summer, was appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs.
The two new cabinet members are New Westminster MLA Graeme Bowbrick, in charge of Advanced Education, and Victoria MLA Gretchen Mann Brewin, Minister of Children and Families.
Andrew Petter, former intergovernmental affairs minister, was appointed Attorney-General, while former employment and investment minister Mike Farnworth was appointed Health Minister and former health minister Penny Priddy was made Education Minister. Jim Doyle, former minister of municipal affairs, was appointed to Forestry after David Zirnhelt stepped down last week over a shouting match with his staff.
Former NDP premier Mike Harcourt, who was at the Victoria ceremony and reception yesterday, praised Mr. Dosanjh's cabinet shuffle as a move in the right direction for a party sitting at 20 per cent in the polls.
"I think it continues what Ujjal said is a new government," he said.
Mr. Harcourt resigned in 1995 over his handling of the so-called Bingogate scandal.
Mr. Clark resigned under criminal investigation in connection with a casino licence application involving a friend. He has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
Mr. Dosanjh, a two-term Vancouver MLA and the former attorney-general, was elected party leader last week, making him Canada's first Indo-Canadian premier.
The feelings of those dropped from cabinet ranged from outright bitterness to resignation.
Mr. Sihota was philosophical over his third bouncing from a cabinet post in the nearly nine years of NDP government.
"It's like in sports, sometimes you get juggled to the second line, because hopefully it will result in different chemistry on the team," said Mr. Sihota, a prime focus of pre-shuffle speculation because he opposed Mr. Dosanjh and supported Mr. Wilson in the party's leadership race.
Mr. Sihota said he spoke with Mr. Dosanjh recently and seemed to predict some form of enhanced role for himself in the future.
"Events will unfold that will put this [the loss of his cabinet post]in perspective," he said.
Mr. Giesbrecht had no comment yesterday, but the previous day he had decried his pending demotion.
"It's kind of frustrating and disappointing to know you are a casualty of in-family competition, when you are simply exercising your democratic rights," he said.
LIST OF MINISTERS
Premier Ujjal Dosanjh's new cabinet: Joy MacPhail, Labour, Deputy Premier Graeme Bowbrick, Advanced Education, Training and Technology Corky Evans, Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Dale Lovick, Aboriginal Affairs Andrew Petter, Attorney-General Gretchen Mann Brewin, Children and Families Jenny Kwan, Community Development, Co-operatives and Volunteers Penny Priddy, Education Gordon Wilson, Employment and Investment Dan Miller, Energy and Mines Joan Sawicki, Environment, Land and Parks Paul Ramsey, Finance and Corporate Relations Jim Doyle, Forests Mike Farnworth, Health Sue Hammell, Multiculturalism and Immigration Cathy McGregor, Municipal Affairs Ian Waddell, Small Business, Tourism and Culture Jan Pullinger, Social Development and Economic Security Harry Lali, Transportation and Highways Joan Smallwood, Women's Equality