Morris named to cabinet

Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris was sworn into the B.C. Liberals cabinet as the public safety minister and solicitor general on Friday.

Given his background, Premier Christy Clark said Morris is a good choice for the position.

“Mike Morris brings strong experience to the executive council as a 32year veteran of the RCMP and former North District superintendent,” Clark said in a statement.

The rookie MLA takes over a portion of the workload shouldered by Suzanne Anton who will continue on as justice minister and attorney general.

“He will bring a singular focus to public safety as he builds on Suzanne Anton’s many accomplishments and an outstanding record of being tough on crime and strong on crime prevention,” Clark said.

Top of the agenda for Morris is to continue to keep a lid on the low-level drug activity that has been occurring throughout the province and “just reassuring the public that we do have a pretty good system in place in this province.

“And public safety is paramount, we want to drive that message home.”

Morris said he is aware of concern that a portion of the cost of the RCMP’s DNA analysis service will be downloaded on municipalities next year.

“When I look at it, DNA is part of policing and it’s an integral part of the investigative process so how it’s funded and who pays for it, I’ll have to have a close look at that,” Morris said.

Communities with populations of more than 5,000 people have been told they have to split a $2.9 million share of the expense – traditionally picked up by the province. The cost for Prince George is projected to be $51,876.95.

Among his tasks since he was elected in May 2014, Morris led a review of the Independent Investigations Office, the civilian- based watchdog that investigates police-involved deaths and serious injuries for the possibility of crimi- nal wrongdoing.

His appointment generated some controversy because of his former job as the North District RCMP’s superintendent, a position he held for seven years ending in 2005. But the province’s conflict of interest commissioner gave Morris clearance to chair the committee, concluding the nearly 10 years he had been away from the RCMP has provided enough time to loosen the ties.

Among the bipartisan committee’s recommendations was one to relax a rule preventing the IIO from hiring anyone who has been a police officer within the last five years. However, such appointments would be made only in “exceptional cases” and after a review by the Ministry of Justice.

Anton will remain responsible for the IIO, Morris said.

Morris was also the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and conducted a review the Wildfire Act.

In that role, he said in Septem- ber amendments to the province’s Wildfire Act will be introduced in spring 2016 to strengthen and clarify the provisions regarding unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The announcement was triggered by two incidents in August when firefighting aircraft were forced to halt operations due to safety concerns because a drone was being flown in the area.

Prior to the last election, Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond was Minister of Justice. She was named Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General in May 2011 and, five months later, became the Attorney General when Barry Penner resigned.

It resulted in an “enormous workload,” Bond said Friday.

“I do remember what it was like to carry both portfolios at the same time and it was certainly a challenge,” Bond said.

— with files from Charelle Evelyn