Mungall moves up in new NDP shadow cabinet
By Timothy Schafer
Nelson’s MLA has moved up in the provincial NDP’s shadow cabinet, named Tuesday by new BC NDP provincial party leader Adrian Dix.
As the member representing the Nelson-Creston riding, Mungall moves into the role as the advanced education, youth and labour market development critic, supplanting her previous role as deputy Opposition critic in that portfolio.
Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy was named as the seniors and long term care critic.
In advance of the return of the legislature, Dix opted to name the NDP shadow cabinet, with most of the people unchanged from the cabinet that served under Carole James.
Dix chose to slot his two main challengers during the party’s leadership campaign into top critic jobs.
Mike Farnworth, who was previously house leader and solicitor general critic, moved to the health portfolio, while John Horgan, MLA for Juan de Fuca, kept his job as energy critic, but was promoted to house leader.
The legislature reconvenes Wednesday, after an absence that saw both the Liberal and NDP choose new leaders. Premier Christy Clark, who won the Liberal contest, won’t be eligible to sit in the house until the results of a by-election in Vancouver-Point Grey, expected in late May or early June.
The new critic lineup does not contain a job for former party leader Carole James, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill, who was forced out by a mutiny late last year.
A full list of the NDP shadow cabinet:
Leader, Official Opposition — Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway)
Finance and Public Accounts critic — Bruce Ralston (Surrey-Whalley)
Health critic — Mike Farnworth (Port Coquitlam)
House Leader, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources critic — John Horgan (Juan de Fuca)
Deputy House Leader, Deputy Health critic — Sue Hammell (Surrey-Green Timbers)
Whip — Maurine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Royal Roads)
Deputy Whip, Labour critic — Raj Chouhan (Burnaby Edmonds)
Caucus Chair, Social Development and Housing critic — Shane Simpson (Vancouver-Hastings)
Deputy Caucus Chair, Public Safety and Solicitor General critic and Women’s critic —Kathy Corrigan (Burnaby-Deer Lake)
Chair, Sustainable Economic Development Committee; Deputy Finance critic and Deputy Energy critic — Doug Donaldson (Stikine)
Chair, Social Policy Committee; Education critic — Robin Austin (Skeena)
Aboriginal Relations critic — Scott Fraser (Alberni-Pacific Rim)
Advanced Education, Youth and Labour Market Development critic — Michelle Mungall (Nelson-Creston)
Agriculture critic — Lana Popham (Saanich South)
Attorney General critic — Leonard Krog (Nanaimo)
BC Ferries and Coastal Communities critic — Gary Coons (North Coast)
Children and Family Development critic — Claire Trevena (North Island)
Citizens Services and Open Government critic — Doug Routley (Nanaimo-North Cowichan)
Community and Rural Development critic — Harry Lali (Fraser-Nicola)
Community Living critic, Deputy Social Development and Housing critic —
Nicholas Simons (Powell River-Sunshine Coast)
Deputy Education critic — Diane Thorne (Coquitlam-Maillardville)
Environment critic — Rob Fleming (Victoria-Swan Lake)
Deputy Critic Fisheries — Michael Sather (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows)
Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations critic — Norm Macdonald (Columbia River-Revelstoke) Deputy Critic: Bill Routley (Cowichan Valley)
Jobs, Economic Development and Trade critic — Jenny Kwan (Vancouver-Mt Pleasant)
Small Business critic — Jagrup Brar (Surrey-Fleetwood)
Public Health and Sport critic — Guy Gentner (Delta North)
Multiculturalism, Child Care and Early Learning critic — Mable Elmore (Vancouver-Kensington)
Seniors and Long Term Care critic — Katrine Conroy (Kootenay West)
Tourism, Culture and the Arts critic — Spencer Chandra Herbert (Vancouver-West End)
Transportation and Infrastructure critic — Harry Bains (Surrey-Newton)
Assistant Deputy Speaker (designate) — Dawn Black (New Westminster)
