Athabasca-Redwater MLA Jeff Johnson continued his steady climb toward the upper echelons of the Progressive Conservative government by snagging a new parliamentary assistant role during last week’s cabinet shuffle.
Acting as assistants to ministers, parliamentary assistants are a creation of Premier Ed Stelmach. These positions tend to go to new MLAs who are viewed as “up-and-comers” in government.
In his new role of parliamentary secretary to Treasury Board president Lloyd Snelgrove, Johnson will be involved in the Oil Sands Sustainable Development Secretariat, which Stelmach created in 2008 to better co-ordinate oilsands decisions within government. The secretariat released a 20-year plan for oilsands development last year.
“I don’t know for sure the role I’ll play but I expect I’ll be working closely with [assistant deputy minister Heather Kennedy] and supporting Minister Snelgrove however I can,” Johnson said.
Cabinet ministers will receive individual mandate letters outlining the areas the premier wants them to tackle. Such letters will likely be coming for parliamentary assistants as well, said Treasury Board spokesman Gerald Kastendieck.
Johnson’s vast constituency borders St. Albert’s northeast corner and includes part of Sturgeon County directly north of St. Albert and east of Highway 2. It stretches east to Smoky Lake and north beyond Wandering River on Highway 63 to Fort McMurray.
With part of his constituency in oilsands country and another part in the industrial heartland, Johnson said he has a solid understanding of the oilsands industry.
“I certainly am keen to learn a lot more but I think I have a good basic knowledge that’s going to help me because my constituency is closely affected by this,” he said.
Johnson also keeps his Treasury Board seat, which he first got last fall after the retirement of former cabinet minister Ron Stevens. The 16-member board decides how the government spends its money.
“It’s a real important spot to be in. I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Johnson said.
At 43, Johnson is one of the younger MLAs in the PC caucus. First elected in 2008, he garnered some publicity last year by bringing forward a private member’s bill — Bill 203 — that sought to bring in a $5,000 cap to municipal election campaign contributions and mandatory disclosure of donations of $100 or more. That bill passed third reading but is still awaiting proclamation.
Regarding his seemingly growing stature within the PC party’s power structure, Johnson was modest.
“I’m just one of a very big team,” he said. “The one real strength that we have as a party and a caucus is we have a lot of talent in there.”
The opposition Liberals and New Democrats criticized last week’s cabinet shuffle as a re-arrangement of the same old faces. Johnson responded that he’s focused on making decisions and trying to help the province address its challenges.
“That’s why I am where I am on the government side,” said the former hockey coach, futures trader and businessman.
“If I was to just going to criticize and complain I wouldn’t be in this job. I’d stay at home because I could do that from my couch.
