Stephen Khan, one of St. Albert's two MLAs, has lost his cabinet position. Named the minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education shortly after last April's election, Khan has now been replaced by Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, who has been a minister without portfolio in cabinet since the last election. The province also announced that Richard Starke will now serve as minister of Tourism, taking over from Christine Cusanelli.
Stephen Khan, one of St. Albert’s two MLAs, has lost his cabinet position.
Named the minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education shortly after last April’s election, Khan has now been replaced by Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, who has been a minister without portfolio in cabinet since the last election.
The province also announced that Richard Starke will now serve as Minister of Tourism, taking over from Christine Cusanelli.
Khan’s naming to the cabinet last year came as a surprise, considering this was his first term as an MLA. Also, Doug Horner, whose riding includes a part of St. Albert, has served in a few different positions in cabinet. He is now the finance minister.
A press release from the office of Premier Alison Redford painted the cabinet shuffle as an attempt to save money and improve efficiency. The size of cabinet has decreased from 26 to 25 ministers.
However, Alberta political watcher Mark Lisac said Khan and Cusanelli were likely removed because of “performance.”
Lisac, author of the newsletter Insight into Government, wrote that Khan seemed tentative when speaking in the legislature, and that he has not been “actively meeting members of the post-secondary community. His actions on the Enterprise side of the department have not been visible.”
Cusanelli, Lisac said, was in trouble due to her “ineffective defence” of the government last year when members travelled to London for the summer Olympics using provincial funds.
