KENNEY REWARDS LOYALISTS, PUNISHES CRITICS, IGNORES ALBERTANS

CALGARY - Jason Kenney used his cabinet shuffle to reward loyalists and punish his critics, but failed to do anything to address his government’s serious failure to support Alberta families and businesses.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, and Energy Minister Sonya Savage all kept their jobs.

“By failing to make any of the major changes that are so obviously needed, Jason Kenney has made it clear that the problem remains at the top,” said NDP Leader Rachel Notley. “The minister who needs to be shuffled out more than anyone is the Premier.

“Today is a symbol of the problems at the core of Jason Kenney’s government. He’s focused on his own internal political problems, he’s incapable of admitting his mistakes, and he’s oblivious to the real problems of Alberta families and small businesses.”

Leela Aheer and Grant Hunter were dismissed from cabinet, replaced by Ron Orr and Tanya Fir. There are new associate minister roles for Nate Horner and Muhammed Yaseen. Whitney Issik was given the downgraded position of Associate Minister for Status of Women. Despite presiding over a disastrous rise in preventable overdose deaths, Jason Luan was promoted to Minister of Community and Social Services. The southern and northeast regions of Alberta are shut out of cabinet.

“There is nothing in this shuffle to bring the UCP’s focus back onto job creation, where Jason Kenney has failed from day one,” Notley said. “Alberta needs a government that is obsessed with creating good-paying jobs and we didn’t get that today.

“This is a terrible missed opportunity for Alberta at a time when we need real leadership.”