Veteran legislator Jason Nixon is the new cabinet minister in charge of Alberta’s money.
Nixon, with more than a decade of experience in the legislature, was named the new finance minister Thursday as Premier Danielle Smith shuffled her cabinet.
Nixon takes over from Nate Horner, who announced earlier this week he was stepping down and won't run in the 2027 provincial election. Nixon had been social services minister.
At a swearing-in ceremony in Calgary, Smith said her government is focused on delivering jobs, improving health care and taking action to address the impact of population growth.
"Albertans are trusting us, each of us in this room, to do that critical work. As a team, we will continue to govern for everyone in the province," she said.
Nixon inherits a volatile portfolio dependent on global oil prices that have been jolted by the recent U.S.-Israel war with Iran, sending domestic gas pump prices soaring.
Horner's most recent spending plan forecast a $9.4-billion deficit — the largest since the COVID-19 pandemic, but that could change drastically if oil prices stay high.
Nixon's political career predates the province's governing United Conservative Party.
He was first elected under the Wildrose banner in 2015. The Wildrose Party and Progressive Conservatives merged to create the UCP in 2017 and formed government two years later.
Nixon has led multiple ministries during his time in office, including serving a stint in finance under former premier Jason Kenney.
Thursday's shuffle also saw Adriana LaGrange leave the preventative health-care ministry to run hospitals.
Matt Jones had been in charge of hospitals and also announced this week he was stepping down and won't run in the next election.
Tara Sawyer, a former chair of the Grain Growers of Canada, becomes agriculture minister.
Justin Wright replaces LaGrange in preventative health, which oversees physicians and primary care.
Nathan Neudorf is taking over social services, leaving his affordability and utilities portfolio to R.J. Sigurdson, who had been in the agriculture post.
Two other backbenchers also saw promotions. Brandon Lunty is chief government whip, while Scott Cyr is parliamentary secretary for transportation.
Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said in a statement Smith's cabinet is still the largest in the province's history, and a shuffle won't help Albertans struggling with the cost of living or trying to access public services.
"It still has four health ministers overseeing the destruction of public health care," he said.
"It still has an energy minister allowing for coal mining in the eastern slopes (of the Rocky Mountains). The Indigenous relations minister that recently had every First Nations Chief vote non-confidence in this government is the same. And it still has a municipal affairs minister that is hiring library inspectors," said Nenshi.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
