Chilliwack-Hope MLA Gwen O’Mahony has been named the NDP’s skills training critic, an issue that she campaigned on during the April byelection.
NDP Leader Adrian Dix announced O’Mahony’s appointment Wednesday along with MLA Joe Trasolini who won the byelection for the NDP in Port Moody-Coquitlam.
Most NDP MLAs will see no change in their roles, Dix said, but he wanted to make changes that will give O’Mahony and Trasolini “roles in making the case for change” in the next provincial election.
He said O’Mahony “campaigned on skills training in the Chilliwack-Hope byelection, and this issue will be a key element in our approach to the economy.”
He said Trasolini, given his business background, will have “a key role … in our dialogue with the business community on growing investment in the province.”
The other announced changes are:
Shane Simpson becomes labour critic; Raj Chouhan takes on multiculturalism, immigration and human rights; Doug Donaldson becomes mining critic; Maurine Karagianis takes on the Liquor Distribution Branch; Spencer Chandra Herbert adds the BC Lottery Corporation to his duties as tourism critic; Mable Elmore takes on the ICBC and deputy critic for finance; Doug Routley adds deputy health critic to his duties as critic for citizens’ services; and Sue Hammell becomes critic for women’s issues, child care and early leaning.
Dix said the party is taking a “positive” approach to politics aimed at “re-engaging” the 1.7 million eligible voters who did not vote in the last election.
B.C. voters go to the polls next on May 14, 2013.
