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Executive Council of New Brunswick

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Executive Council of New Brunswick
Agency overview
JurisdictionNew Brunswick
Agency executives
Parent departmentGovernment of New Brunswick

The Executive Council of New Brunswick (French: Conseil exécutif du Nouveau-Brunswick), informally and more commonly, the Cabinet of New Brunswick (French: Cabinet du Nouveau-Brunswick), is the Cabinet of the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, though not necessarily so, New Brunswick's Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the federal Cabinet of Canada, while being smaller in size. As federal and provincial responsibilities and areas of jurisdiction differ, there are a number of different portfolios between the federal and provincial governments. For example, education being a provincial domain, New Brunswick has a Minister of Education, while the federal Cabinet would not.

The Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, as representative of the King in Right of New Brunswick, appoints the Premier and the Executive Council of whichever party forms government in a given legislature, which exists to advise him or her on the governance of the Province.[1] The term "Lieutenant-Governor in Council" refers to the Lieutenant-Governor acting on the recommendations of Cabinet, though he or she has no real decision-making authority. Members of the Executive Council, called Cabinet Ministers, are appointed on the recommendation of the Premier, at whose pleasure they serve, and each oversees a certain area of the provincial government, called a "portfolio". Some Ministers head entire government departments ("Minister of ..."), while others are responsible for parts of departments or cross-government initiatives ("Minister responsible for ...").

The Cabinet meets on a weekly basis during the fall, winter and spring, and a monthly basis during the summer, at which Ministers and the Premier discuss policy matters and the governance of the Province. Such meetings are confidential, under the principle of "Cabinet confidentiality", and Ministers must agree to present a united front based on whichever decision is taken. Government departments will often bring proposals to Cabinet for direction or approval (for example, to draft a Bill or enter into an agreement), on which Cabinet will issue a decision and, where applicable, provide a recommendation to the Lieutenant-Governor for issuing an Order-in-Council.

There are currently two committees within the Cabinet: Policy and Priorities Board, which studies strategic and policy matters and is chaired by the Premier, and Treasury Board, which studies financial and administrative matters and is chaired by the Minister of Finance. The two committees may also hold a joint meeting. There was previously a COVID-19 Cabinet Committee, which, uniquely, included members from all parties in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly.[2] However, in late 2021, committee members from the Green and Liberal parties quit the committee over a controversy in which the provincial government had issued an emergency order forcing striking healthcare workers back to work.[3]

Current Cabinet

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The current Cabinet is led by Premier Blaine Higgs. The governing party is the Progressive Conservatives.

Lieutenant governor Since
Brenda Murphy September 8, 2019
Minister Portfolio Since
Blaine Higgs Premier of New Brunswick November 9, 2018
President of the Executive Council
Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs September 12, 2019[4]
Hugh John (Ted) Flemming Minister of Justice September 29, 2020
Attorney General
Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development June 6, 2024
Kris Austin Minister of Public Safety October 13, 2022
Richard Ames Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure June 27, 2023
Margaret Johnson Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries September 29, 2020
Jill Green Minister of Social Development June 27, 2023
Minister responsible for New Brunswick Housing Corporation
Bill Hogan Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development October 13, 2022
Ernie Steeves Minister of Finance and Treasury Board November 9, 2018
Greg Turner Minister of Post-secondary Education, Training and Labour February 2, 2024
Minister responsible for Immigration
Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business June 27, 2023
Minister responsible for Opportunities NB
Réjean Savoie Minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation October 13, 2022
Minister of Indigenous Affairs June 6, 2024
Glen Savoie Minister of Local Government June 27, 2023
Minister of Environment and Climate Change May 8, 2024
Minister responsible for la Francophonie February 21, 2020
Bruce Fitch Minister of Health July 15, 2022
Mary Wilson Minister of Service New Brunswick September 29, 2020
Minister responsible for Military Affairs
Tammy Scott-Wallace Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture September 29, 2020
Sherry Wilson Minister responsible for Women's Equality June 27, 2023
Minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health Services
Kathy Bockus Minister responsible for Seniors June 27, 2023

References

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  1. ^ "Executive Council Act". laws.gnb.ca. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  2. ^ "New cabinet committee on novel coronavirus appointed". www2.gnb.ca. March 12, 2020. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  3. ^ "Liberal, Green leaders withdraw from COVID commitee as striking health-care workers forced back - New Brunswick". Global News. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
  4. ^ Government of New Brunswick, Executive Council Office. Order-in-Council 2019-173. "Under section 2 of the Executive Council Act, the Lieutenant- Governor in Council appoints under the Great Seal of the Province, the Honourable Blaine Higgs, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, effective September 12, 2019."
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