This release was issued under a previous government.
L-R: Lieutenant Governor Donald S. Ethell, Associate Minister Everett McDonald, and Premier Jim Prentice
“Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Verlyn Olson is taking a few weeks’ time to recover from some personal health issues, and I am proud that he will be receiving groundbreaking medical treatment here in Alberta. He remains a valued member of my Cabinet, and I wish him a speedy and full recovery.
“To ensure that important agricultural issues continue to be handled at the Cabinet table, I have asked Everett McDonald, MLA for Grande Prairie-Smoky, to take on new responsibilities working with Minister Olson as his Associate Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Everett brings decades of family farming experience to the table, and an understanding of current issues in rural communities.
“In addition, I have asked Diana McQueen, Minister of Municipal Affairs, to take on additional responsibility for Alberta’s action on climate change. She brings her background in the environment and energy portfolios, and her strong working relationships with local communities, to a file that will require significant government attention in the months and years ahead. She will work closely with Kyle Fawcett, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development and all of her Cabinet colleagues, in a ‘whole-of-government’ approach.
“The Cabinet team is strong, and these changes ensure that we remain on track to deliver results for Albertans.”