From the Liberal Caucus, July 28, 2009

Edmonton – Dr. David Swann, Leader of the Official Opposition, has shuffled his Shadow Cabinet to ensure an even division of major critic portfolios between Calgary, Edmonton and rural Alberta.

“The energy industry needs a strong Calgary voice to represent their interests, so I have appointed Dave Taylor to fill that role,” Swann says. “Dave is a veteran MLA with a solid understanding of that industry’s importance to Alberta, so it’s a great fit.”

Harry Chase is the new Critic for Advanced Education and Technology. “Harry’s a teacher and his constituency, Calgary-Varsity, includes the University of Calgary, so it makes perfect sense to assign this important portfolio to a veteran Calgary MLA,” Swann says.

Swann has given Kevin Taft the Health and Wellness portfolio, citing Taft’s extensive knowledge of the public health care system. “Kevin has written extensively on the subject of health care in Alberta,” Swann says.

Lethbridge MLA Bridget Pastoor is the new Critic for Agriculture and Rural Development. “Bridget has a strong connection to rural Alberta – she understands that Alberta farmers, ranchers and rural citizens are taken for granted by the Stelmach administration, and she looks forward to sticking up for all rural Albertans, many of whom are increasingly dissatisfied with the Stelmach administration,” Swann says.

Darshan Kang adds Infrastructure to his critic responsibilities. “Darshan’s been a great voice for his constituents in northeast Calgary vis-à-vis the airport tunnel,” Swann says. “I know he’ll be conscientious when it comes to important infrastructure projects.”

The last major change adds the Finance and Enterprise portfolio to Edmonton MLA Hugh MacDonald’s critic roles. “Hugh does an excellent job of digging through the Stelmach administration’s books to find wasteful spending,” Swann says. “He’s always out to make sure that taxpayers get the best possible value for their money.”

Swann made the changes not only for the sake of regional representation, but to give his MLAs new challenges and experiences.

“We want to form government, so one of my jobs as Leader is to ensure that my MLAs develop a wide range of experience and skills,” Swann says. “I know that all of us are eager to give Albertans the respect and representation they deserve, and this shuffle helps meet that goal.”