A look at Alberta’s new cabinet members

Tyler Shandro (Health): a lawyer and first-time MLA representing Calgary-Acadia, with a long record of community service. He has been a member of the National Parole Board, the Calgary Police Commission and the University of Calgary senate.

Ric McIver (Transportation): back for a third term, representing Calgary-Hays. He was a long-time Calgary city councillor before winning a seat as a Progressive Conservative in 2015. He served previously as transportation minister and in the jobs and labour portfolio.

Tanya Fir (Economic Development, Trade and Tourism): a first-term MLA for Calgary-Peigan. She has a commerce degree from the University of Calgary and has worked as a human resources adviser in the oil and gas industry.

Adriana LaGrange (Education): a rookie MLA for Red Deer-North. She has served as a Catholic school division trustee in Red Deer and worked as a rehab practitioner for the physically and mentally disabled.

Travis Toews (Finance): a new MLA representing Grande Prairie-Wapiti. He is an accountant with extensive experience on provincial and national boards in the agriculture and beef industries.

Jason Nixon (Environment and Parks): returns for a second term as MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre. He will also be government house leader, directing the flow of legislation in the house. Before politics, he worked for more than two decades in the non-profit sector.

Devin Dreeshen (Agriculture and Forestry): became an MLA last year in a byelection for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake. The fifth-generation local farm owner was also a policy adviser to former federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz.

Sonya Savage (Energy): a first-term MLA for Calgary North-West. She is a lawyer who has worked in the oil and gas sector for more than a decade, serving as director of policy and regulatory affairs for the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association.

Rajan Sawhney (Community and Social Services): a new MLA for Calgary-North East. She has a degree in economics and political science and has worked in the oil sector for two decades.

Josephine Pon (Seniors and Housing): a rookie MLA for Calgary-Beddington. She has worked as an international trade consultant and has managed multiple restaurants.

Rebecca Schulz (Children’s Services): a first-term MLA representing Calgary-Shaw. She is a communications professional, with a masters degree from Johns Hopkins University, and once worked for former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall.

Rick Wilson (Indigenous Relations): represents Maskwacis-Wetaskiwin as a rookie MLA. He served as a councillor for the County of Wetaskiwin and as a public school trustee.

Demetrios Nicolaides (Advanced Education): a first-term MLA for Calgary-Bow. He is a communications professional with experience and training in conflict resolution. He has worked on peacekeeping and reconciliation in Cyprus.

Leela Aheer (Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women): returns for a second term, representing Chestermere-Strathmore. She has been a music, drama and French and Spanish teacher, and was the critic for children’s services and the status of women.

Jason Copping (Labour and Immigration): a new MLA, representing Calgary-Varsity. He has worked as a management consultant, labour mediator and arbitrator, and has master’s degrees in industrial relations and law.

Kaycee Madu (Municipal Affairs): a first-term MLA for Edmonton-South West. The lone UCP member in the capital city is a lawyer who studied in Nigeria and has worked as a senior technical adviser for the Alberta government.

Prasad Panda (Infrastructure): a returning MLA representing Calgary-Edgemont. Born in India, Panda was first elected in 2015 after working as an engineer in the oil and gas sector.

Nate Glubish (Service Alberta): a new MLA representing Strathcona-Sherwood Park. He has a commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has worked as an investments adviser, focusing on tech companies.

Associate Ministers:

Grant Hunter (Red Tape Reduction): a returning MLA for a second term in Taber-Warner. He is the owner-operator of a construction company and holds a master’s degree in business administration.

Jason Luan (Mental Health and Addictions): returns to the legislature for a second stint, this time for Calgary-Foothills. He was previously in the house from 2012-2015 with the Progressive Conservatives. He has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Calgary.

Dale Nally (Natural Gas): a first-term MLA for Morinville-St. Albert. He has a master’s degree in education and a background in business. He has been co-chair for Diversity Edmonton, which promotes hiring people with disabilities.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

A look at Alberta’s new cabinet members

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