New ministers appointed in Alberta cabinet shuffle

Outgoing Premier Jason Kenney announced several changes to cabinetTuesday afternoon, including new ministers for environment and parks, infrastructure, transportation andchildren's services.

Jason Nixon's temporary position as minister of finance has been made permanent, the government said in a news release.

The former minister of environment and parks was asked to fill in after Travis Toews, the former finance minister and treasury board president,resigned to seek the UCP leadership.

Calgary MLA Whitney Issikwill take over as the environment and parks minister. Issik's previous role as the associateministerof status of women will be filled byJackie Armstrong Homeniuk, the MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville.

Prasad Panda has been moved frominfrastructure to the transportation portfolio. Calgary-Currie MLANicholas Millikentakes over as infrastructure minister.

Calgary-South East MLA Matt Jones is the newminister of children's services, a role left vacant when Rebecca Schultz opted to run for leadership of the UCP.

Jason Luan, the minister of community and social services,had been acting as the children's service minister for the past week.

Brad Rutherford,MLA for Leduc-Beaumont and deputy government whip, becomes chief government whip and minister without portfolio.

The government also announced a few non-cabinet changes:

• MLAs Tracy Allard and Jackie Lovely have been appointed to the treasury board.
• Justice Minister Tyler Shandro has been appointed chair of the community and families cabinet policy committee.
• Education Minister Adriana LaGrange has been appointed to the priorities implementation cabinet committee.

Following a leadership review in May, Kenney announced he would resign as leader of the United Conservative Party. His replacement is expected to be chosen in October.