Kenney makes cabinet shuffle

Outspoken critic Aheer loses portfolio, Shandro, Lagrange maintain their files

Premier Jason Kenney announced a host of changes to his cabinet Thursday, including creating three new junior cabinet positions and demoting a longtime minister who was openly critical of her boss.

Leela Aheer is out of cabinet and the responsibilities of the Ministry of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women will now be split.

Those jobs will be handled by two associate ministers — Whitney Issik on the status of women file and Muhammad Yaseen on immigration and multiculturalism.

Kenney has appointed Ron Orr as minister of culture.

Thursday's changes come after Kenney faced months of turmoil inside his party over COVID-19 restrictions, leading to the UCP caucus booting out two members critical of Kenney's leadership.

Rajan Sawhney, formerly the community and social services minister, will take the reins of the Transportation Ministry from Ric Mciver, who remains the municipal affairs minister.

Both Sawhney and Aheer criticized the premier after he and cabinet ministers were photographed dining outdoors on a patio of the Federal Building apparently against the province's health rules in early June.

Aheer called for an apology from the premier and pushed back against Kenney's insistence that historical figures like John A. Macdonald should not have their names removed from public places.

On Thursday, Kenney told reporters Aheer's removal was not about punishment, and he appreciated her work.

“It's not about that or any particular incident, it's just about an opportunity for renewal,” said Kenney, noting some newly sworn-in members of cabinet have also been critical of him.

Orr signed a public letter criticizing Kenney's COVID -19 restrictions in April, but later defended Kenney, saying he believes the premier “is the leader God raised up for these times.”

Nate Horner, also among the UCP MLAS who signed the letter, was promoted to associate minister of rural economic development.

Kenney said the shuffle was about “renewal,” and denied moves were made in reaction to the discontent and unrest within the UCP caucus.

“We put all of that behind us. It's obvious that Albertans were divided in how best to address the pandemic crisis, and in our caucus we saw people representing a diverse range of views,” he said.

Meanwhile, two of Kenney's most embattled ministers, Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Education Minister Adriana Lagrange, kept their files.

NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley said the shuffle was only about managing discontent in the UCP, and not about a functional renewal or a refocus on jobs.

“This was about fixing Kenny's internal caucus political problems, and the complete resistance to change or acknowledgment that they might have been on the wrong path with a number of issues that Albertans are very concerned about … (it) embodies a Jason Kenney decision to tell Albertans that they are wrong, and he is right, and he's going to continue doing things exactly the same way.”

Notley also took aim at Orr's appointment, pointing to when Orr made headlines for linking opium use to the Chinese Communist Revolution to illustrate the danger of legalizing recreational cannabis in Canada.

“This is not a person who should be in charge of Alberta's culture, engaging with Alberta's cultural industries, or, frankly, creating Alberta's identity … we're trying to attract people here, not drive them away,” she said.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said the shuffle was about making an example out of Aheer for speaking out strongly and bringing agitated backbenchers to the decision-making table.

“This is all about caucus relations, which have been dicey for the government,” said Bratt.

“Reward your allies and loyalists and punish your opponents, and that's what this was all about,” said Bratt.

Katy Merrifield, Kenney's former director of communications, said she wasn't surprised by that kind of analysis.

“Critics would gravitate towards that kind of criticism regardless of what (Kenney) did.”

Merrifield said elevating Yaseen to immigration and moving Horner to rural economic development were targeted moves geared toward economic recovery. Devoting a minister to rural development projects is part of a good job strategy, she said.

“It's a sign of respect to smaller communities, especially rural, that just don't get the same level of attention as Calgary and Edmonton,” she said, adding Orr's experience as culture critic shouldn't be dismissed either.

“He's got experience with the very stakeholder groups he'll need to be working with,” Merrifield said.

Orr will be working to address a recommendation of the Fair Deal Panel to “affirm Alberta's cultural, economic and political uniqueness in law and government policy,” something Merrifield said represents getting back to the work Kenney promised to do before the pandemic.

Tanya Fir also returns to the fold after being shuffled out last year, taking on a role previously held by Grant Hunter as red tape reduction associate minister.

Mike Ellis, who served as the chief government whip, will take over from Jason Luan as associate minister of mental health and addictions.

Luan was promoted to community and social services minister, taking over from Sawhney.

Making the move to cabinet comes with a significant pay raise.

Rank-and-file MLAS in Alberta earn a salary of $121,000, but ministers receive $181,000, while associate ministers get $148,000.

This is all about caucus relations, which have been dicey for the government. Reward your allies and loyalists and punish your opponents.