Sask. premier announces all new cabinet ministers following election win

The Saskatchewan Party will enter government with an all new 16-member cabinet – with no minister holding the portfolios they had prior to election day.

Premier Scott Moe announced the smaller team in an event at Government House Thursday morning.

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"Not since the government's very first cabinet in 2007 has every minister been new to their portfolio," Moe said in his opening remarks.

"I would urge every minister to take on your new responsibilities with the same focus and vigor as our very first cabinet did in 2007. This day marks a new beginning for this cabinet, for this government, and for our province that we know and love."

Moe’s new cabinet is two ministers smaller than the pre-election cabinet.

Ross, Harrison, Keisig and Schmalz enter cabinet for the first time while Cheveldayoff and Kaeding re-enter cabinet with the shuffle.

Notable appointments include Jim Reiter, who is now the longest serving minister in the Saskatchewan Party government – first serving in cabinet in 2009.

He fills the void left by Sask. Party mainstay Donna Harpauer, who announced she would not be seeking re-election at the end of the 29th legislature.

Everett Hindley and Jeremy Cockrill have swapped portfolios. Hindley takes on education, another high-profile portfolio after serving as health minister prior to the election.

Hindley has been involved with the Sask. Party since 1999, working with former Premier Brad Wall before being elected as the MLA for Swift Current.

Cockrill will move to the Ministry of Health – a move that was criticized by the Saskatchewan NDP.

In a statement sent to CTV News, Sask. NDP Leader Carla Beck wished the new cabinet luck – before offering some criticism of the Sask. Party’s approach on cost of living and the party’s choice of health minister.

“Relations between teachers and the government hit an all-time low when Jeremy Cockrill was the Minister of Education,” the statement read.

“Saskatchewan already has the worst rates of healthcare worker retention in Canada, and Cockrill’s confrontational style will make a bad situation worse.”

Also in the health sphere is Estevan Big Muddy MLA Lori Carr, who takes over the portfolio from now Minister of Justice and Attorney General Tim McLeod.

Finally, Jeremy Harrison, formerly the minister of Trade and Export Development is now responsible for the Crown Investments Corporation and Public Service Commission.

A complete list of the cabinet appointments include:

• Minister of Finance, Deputy Premier, Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety and Minister of Immigration and Career Training - Jim Reiter (Was Energy and Resources)
• Minister of Education - Everett Hindley (Was Health)
• Minister of Health - Jeremy Cockrill (Was Education)
• Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health – Lori Carr (Was Highways)
• Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Minister of Corrections and Public Safety - Tim McLeod (Was Rural and Remote Health, Seniors, Mental Health and Addictions)
• Minister of Highways, Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement - David Marit (Was Agriculture)
• Minister of Crown Investments Corporation and all of its commercial Crown Corporations, and Minister responsible for the Public Service Commission – Jeremy Harrison (Was Trade and Export Development)
• Minister of Social Services - Terry Jenson (Was SaskBuilds)
• Minister of Energy and Resources - Colleen Young (Was Advanced Education)
• Minister of Advanced Education - Ken Cheveldayoff
• Minister of Trade and Export Development - Warren Kaeding
• Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Tourism Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority – Alana Ross
• Minister of Agriculture - Daryl Harrison
• Minister of Environment - Travis Keisig
• Minister of Government Relations, Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs - Eric Schmalz

Premier Scott Moe speaks at the swearing in of the new cabinet in the ballroom at Government House in Regina on Nov. 7. (Gareth Dillistone/CTV News)

Moe’s new cabinet is two ministers smaller than the pre-election cabinet.

Ross, Harrison, Keisig and Schmalz enter cabinet for the first time while Cheveldayoff and Kaeding re-enter cabinet with the shuffle.

The Saskatchewan Party maintained its hold on power on election night – albeit with a much-reduced presence in the province’s two major cities.

The Sask. Party was swept from Regina entirely and held on to one seat in Saskatoon, with the results of Saskatoon Westview still up in the air pending the final count on Nov. 9.

The incumbents will head back to the legislature with a minimum of 34 seats — while the opposition NDP will return emboldened with at least 26 seats.