EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

The 'Executive Council of British Columbia' (informally and more commonly, the 'Cabinet of British Columbia') is the cabinet of that Canadian province.
Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size. As federal and provincial responsibilities differ there are a number of different portfolios between the federal and provincial governments.
The Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, as representative of the Queen in Right of British Columbia, heads the council, and is referred to as the Governor-in-Council. Other members of the Cabinet, who advise, or minister, the vice-regal, are selected by the Premier of British Columbia and appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor. Most cabinet ministers are the head of a ministry, but this is not always the case.
As at the federal level the most important Cabinet post after that of the leader is Minister of Finance. Today the next most powerful position is certainly the health portfolio which has a vast budget and is of central political import. Other powerful portfolios include Education and Energy.
In colonial British Columbia and Vancouver Island, the Executive Councils were largely appointed by the Governor and included military and judicial officials, their role that of the Governor's cabinet, similar to the present. The colonial Legislative Assemblies were subordinate to the Governor and the Council and served more as a sounding-board than a legislative body.

Contents
Current Cabinet

Current Cabinet


The current ministry has been in place since June 16 2005, with the formation of a government by the BC Liberals after the 2005 BC election. This last cabinet shuffle occurred in January, 2007, to reflect the resignation of Bill Bennett as Minister of State for Mining.
Lieutenant-Governor
Her Honour The Honourable Iona Campagnolo(2001-)
PortfolioMinister
Premier of British Columbia(List)Gordon Campbell(2001-)
Deputy Premier of British Columbia(List)Shirley Bond(2004-)
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation(List)Mike de Jong(2006-)
Minister of Advanced Education
      and Minister responsible for Research and Technology
(List)Murray Coell(2005-)
Minister of Agriculture and Lands(List)Pat Bell(2005-)
Attorney General of British Columbia
      and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism
(List)Wally Oppal(2005-)
Minister of Children and Family Development(List)Tom Christensen(2006-)
Minister of Community Services
      and Minister responsible for Seniors' and Women's Issues
(List)Ida Chong(2005-)
Minister of Economic Development
      Minister responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative
      and Minister responsible for the Olympics
(List)Colin Hansen(2005-)
Minister of Education
      and Minister responsible for Early Learning and Literacy
(List)Shirley Bond(2005-)
Minister of Employment and Income Assistance(List)Claude Richmond(2005-)
Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources(List)Richard Neufeld(2001-)
Minister of Environment
      Minister responsible for Water Stewardship
      and Minister responsible for Sustainable Communities
(List)Barry Penner(2005-)
Minister of Finance(List)Carole Taylor(2005-)
Minister of Forests and Range
      and Minister responsible for Housing
(List)Rich Coleman(2005-)
Minister of Health(List)George Abbott(2005-)
Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services
      and Government House Leader
(List)Olga Ilich(2006-)
Minister of Public Safety
      and Solicitor-General of British Columbia
(List)John Les(2005-)
Minister of Small Business and Revenue
      and Minister responsible for Deregulation
(List)Rick Thorpe(2005-)
Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts(List)Stan Hagen(2006-)
Minister of Transportation(List)Kevin Falcon(2004-)
Minister of State for ChildcareLinda Reid(2005-)
Minister of State for Intergovernmental RelationsJohn van Dongen(2005-)
Minister of State for MiningKevin Krueger(2007-)


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