Blair Lekstrom named Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources

Blair Lekstrom has been announced as the new Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

The announcement was made late Monday as Premier Gordon Campbel announced a mini cabinet shuffle. 
Blair Lekstrom was appointed Minister of Community Development on June 23, 2008. He was first elected in the 2001 provincial general election in the riding of Peace River South, and was re-elected for a second term
in the 2005 general election.
 

Blair Lekstrom says "I want to thank Richard Neufeld for his years of exceptional service as part of the provincial cabinet, and for his 18 years of dedicated service representing his constituents as MLA. I know he will continue to be a strong voice for British Columbia as a member of the Senate." 

Monday morning Richard Neufeld officially handed in his resignation as MLA and Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources after accepting a Senate position just prior to Christmas.

As for the other changes, Kevin Krueger as the new Minister of Community Development. The provincial cabinet has also been realigned, creating a new Ministry of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development to be led by Minister Ida Chong.

Previous functions under the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue, such as tax collection, natural resource revenues, and collection and loan management, will be folded into the Ministry of Finance. The Small Business Roundtable and smart regulation will now fall under Small Business, Technology and Economic Development. Property assessments and homeowner grants will move to the Ministry of Community Development.  Climate action has been moved from the Office of the Premier to the Ministry of Environment. There are also a number of changes to the senior executive of the BC Public Service.