Monday, March 14 marked a historical day in British Columbia as Christy Clark, the 35th premier of our province, was sworn in.
Along with the new premier, 17 other MLAs from across B.C. were sworn in as cabinet ministers to oversee the major sectors within government including education, health, finance and other economic and social areas.
Along with cabinet ministers, a number of parliamentary secretaries were named to assist with more focused issues, and I was honoured to be named the parliamentary secretary for regional economic development, to the minister of jobs, tourism and innovation.
Not only is this a new position for myself, but it is a newly created ministry aimed at recreational and wildlife promotion, international and internal trade policy and tourism strategy.
I am looking forward to working with the new Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister Pat Bell, on taking advantage of the natural resources and benefits that our province provides. One of the things that I am most looking forward to is finding new ways to create jobs for the people and families of British Columbia. We can do this through trade, tourism, export development and branding B.C. as an attractive place for investment.
This innovative ministry and my new role are a sign of the forward-thinking leadership we have in our province, and the direction we are heading in.
This ministry is one of the first steps in our government’s new family-focused agenda because creating jobs helps people and families.
I’m excited that this new role will allow me the opportunity to represent various communities and ensure that our rural voices are heard in Victoria.
I am looking forward to working towards creating jobs across the province and strengthening British Columbia’s economy.
Donna Barnett is the Liberal MLA for the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
