Prince George's two Liberal MLAs will continue to play a significant role in government following B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell's major cabinet and bureaucratic shakeup on Monday.
Forests Minister Pat Bell now has the added responsibilities of lands and mining, while Shirley Bond retains her post in transportation and infrastructure.
"Really, the message is we want to focus on the economy," said Bell, whose party trails the New Democrats in popularity in recent polls by as much as half. The Liberals have been plummeting in polls, in part, because of their introduction and handling of the harmonized sales tax.
Campbell's shuffle comes just two days before he is scheduled to make a rare televised address on Wednesday evening.
Bell said his focus will not be on permitting and oversight - now being handled by the new minister of natural resource operations - but on ensuring that the province creates the right kind of environment so that new resource projects locate in British Columbia. "I'm going to be busy, but I'm looking forward to it," said Bell, who previously held the mining portfolio.
As mining minister, Bell, the MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, will also take the lead on the controversial Prosperity mine project in the Cariboo, already approved by the province but waiting on a decision from the federal government.
While embattled Finance Minister Colin Hansen retained his post, George Abbot was moved into education from Aboriginal relations.
Barry Penner, who had been environment minister, was moved to Aboriginal relations.
And Rich Coleman resumes his role as minister of public safety and solicitor general.
Surrey MLA Stephanie Cadieux is the newcomer to cabinet, taking on the post of community, sport and cultural development.
The biggest move, however, appears to be the departure of Campbell's longtime chief of staff, Martyn Brown, who will become deputy minister of tourism, trade and investment. Brown has been with Campbell since he came to power in 2001.
Taking over from Brown is Paul Taylor, the former head of ICBC and the Liberal's first deputy minister of finance in 2001. Taylor had come over from the Alberta government where he served in finance.
NDP leader Carole James dismissed the cabinet shuffle as "recycling," noting there's only one new face.
"It's the same old players," said James, who recently held a policy-input forum in Prince George. "It's pretty clear they're running out of ideas and running out of people."
She said she sees nothing in the changes that addresses the growing distrust of the Liberal government. Creating a parliamentary secretary for HST information is a signal they don't get it, added James.
The Liberals have faced stiff opposition over the introduction of the HST. After an anti-HST campaign led by former-B.C. premier Bill Vander Zalm launched a successful initiative petition, the Liberals decided to hold a vote on the HST next September. Campbell has said a majority vote will kill the HST.
Although Campbell's popularity is polling below 10 per cent, the cabinet shuffle and television address don't appear to be the actions of someone considering retirement.
Although political scientist Norman Ruff agrees, he said it's hard to get a sense from the cabinet changes what Campbell is planning, other than, perhaps, an enhanced role for natural resources.
Ruff, a professor emeritus at the University of Victoria, said he finds the departure of Campbell's longtime chief of staff more significant than the cabinet moves.
.PNG;w=120;h=117;mode=crop)
