Nate Horner has returned as Alberta agriculture minister but his portfolio has been revamped by new Premier Danielle Smith.
Formerly the minister of agriculture, forestry and rural economic development, Horner is now minister of agriculture and irrigation.
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“I look forward to building on our government’s historic investment of nearly $1 billion in irrigation infrastructure and supporting an ag sector that’s driving economic growth and job creation,” Horner tweeted following the announcement.
A cow-calf rancher before entering politics and becoming the MLA for Drumheller-Stettler in 2019, Horner had overseen the ag and forestry file since last November when he replaced Devin Dreeshen (who is back in cabinet as minister for transportation and economic corridors).
The provincial forestry file was merged into the agriculture ministry by then-premier Rachel Notley’s New Democrats at the start of their term in government in 2015.
Smith’s shuffle moves that responsibility to a new ministry of forestry, parks and tourism, to be led by Central Peace-Notley UCP MLA Todd Loewen, a farmer and former Wildrose MLA who ran against Smith and others for the UCP leadership.
Smith also named Glenn van Dijken, a farmer and the MLA for what’s now Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock since 2015, as her parliamentary secretary for agri-food development.
Van Dijken is well known in Alberta agriculture circles. He and his wife Barb were named Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers in 2001 and he later served as a co-chair for the national Outstanding Young Farmer program. He was also a founding member and director of the Western Hog Exchange.
Travis Toews, who finished second to Smith in the leadership race, is back as finance minister and president of Treasury Board. A rancher, accountant and businessman from Beaverlodge, Toews clashed with Smith over her proposed Sovereignty Act, saying it was unconstitutional and could drive away investment.
But after being named to Smith’s cabinet, he told the Edmonton Journal that the proposed act is being reviewed by constitutional lawyers and “I feel our concerns have been heard and I’m hopeful they can be adequately addressed.”
Among other cabinet appointments of interest to Alberta farmers, former energy minister Sonya Savage becomes minister of environment and protected areas while Rebecca Schulz, formerly minister for children’s services, moves to the municipal affairs file.
– With files from Glacier FarmMedia
