Premier Bob McLeod says evening out the workload among his ministers was a primary reason for shuffling his cabinet.
SA国际影视传媒淚n some areas workloads are increasing and I felt that I wanted to have the best possible team in place to get as much done in the next 18 months, so I made a few changes to help us accomplish that,SA国际影视传媒� McLeod said in an interview Thursday.
The premier announced the day before that Minister Caroline Cochrane would be taking over the department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), while ECE Minister Alfred Moses would assume responsibility for Cochrane's Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Moses also took on the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Homelessness and the Workers Safety and Compensation Commission of the NWT and Nunavut, which were all previously within Cochrane's purview.
In addition, Minister Louis Sebert's responsibility for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation was transferred to Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod.
SA国际影视传媒淥bviously they all want more responsibilities,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod, who sat down with each minister after the end of the winter session. He said wanted to determine which portfolios would benefit from SA国际影视传媒渘ew energy and new perspectives.SA国际影视传媒�
Moses was subjected to intense questioning in the legislative assembly this winter about the future of Aurora College, and specifically, the decision to halt enrollment to the social work and bachelor of education programs. The Inuvik Boot Lake representative was moved off the education file just days after an external review of the college's governance, operations and programming was set to be delivered to the ECE minister.
The premier spoke in broad terms about his decision to replace Moses with Cochrane at ECE.
SA国际影视传媒淚t's important to continue to build on the good work and heavy lifting that was done in the first half of this term by minister Moses,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e're very well-positioned to continue to fulfill the objectives in the area of education.SA国际影视传媒�
Moses, who took over the housing corporation and responsibility for homelessness last week, will be met with recent adjustments to the way the federal government funds housing for Indigenous people.
These changes could create more work on the housing front, said the premier, SA国际影视传媒渟o it was important to have someone who can continue the energy and work that was start by Minister Cochrane in those areas.SA国际影视传媒�
The Northwest Territories Association of Communities, which works closely with MACA, stated in an email Friday that it SA国际影视传媒渉as a strong working partnership with MACA and expect that will continue.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have enjoyed working with Minister Cochrane and look forward to working with Minister Moses given his many years of working with NWT communities.SA国际影视传媒�
Sebert, who oversees Justice, Lands and Engagement and Transparency, was the only minister to lose a confidence vote after the legislative assembly's midterm review in October.
The midterm review had ministers defend their performance during the first half of the 18th legislative assembly, and gave members the chance to vote on whether they still had confidence in each minister, as well as cabinet as a whole.
Before ballots were cast, the ministers unanimously stated they would not step down from their positions in the event of a non-confidence vote.
But Sebert was the only one who actually had to make the choice.
Ultimately, MLAs voted 11-to-seven to allow Sebert to stay in cabinet.
When asked whether he considered moving Sebert off of Lands or Justice, the premier said he believed the minister had worked hard and SA国际影视传媒渟till had the confidence of the legislative assembly.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚f he had lost confidence, he would have been removed,SA国际影视传媒� said McLeod.
McLeod said Sebert will continue working on the SA国际影视传媒渂ig jobSA国际影视传媒� of legalizing cannabis in the territory.
The premier said he shifted responsibility over the power corporation away from Sebert and to the minister of Finance and Environment and Natural Resources because having the same minister in charge of both the power corporation and finance worked well in the past.
SA国际影视传媒淚 have a lot of confidence in every member of my cabinet,SA国际影视传媒� said the premier.
SA国际影视传媒淚'm not afraid of change, change is what makes government grow and succeed.SA国际影视传媒�
