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New provincial cabinet coming Friday

Jun 8, 2023 | 8:57 AM

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will name a new cabinet Friday.

She has a lot of jobs to fill and fewer people to fill them, with a conspicuous urban-rural divide to bridge as well.

There are vacancies in key portfolios like Health, Justice, Environment, Social Services and Mental Health and Addiction.

Cabinet heavyweights Travis Toews and Sonya Savage did not run again while Health Minister Jason Copping and Justice Minister Tyler Shandro lost last week in their Calgary ridings.

Deputy premier Kaycee Madu was also voted out in Edmonton.

Smith has to craft a cabinet with just 12 of her 48 caucus members coming from the two largest cities.

The Opposition NDP swept Edmonton in the May 29 election and took 14 of the 26 seats in Calgary.

The NDP elected 38 members to the 87-seat legislature.

New member Jennifer Johnson was elected under the UCP banner but will sit as a Independent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2023.

The Canadian Press