Premier Danielle Smith named her cabinet on Friday
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A familiar face will be the voice for farmers inside the Alberta legislature.
Nate Horner, the MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, retained his agriculture portfolio when Premier Danielle Smith introduced her cabinet on Friday.
His title changed, however, as forestry and rural economic development are no longer included in his responsibilities.
Those have been replaced with irrigation.
“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 Oct. 21.
Glenn van Dijken, the MLA for Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock, is Minister Horner’s parliamentary secretary.
Horner became Alberta’s minister of agriculture, forestry and rural economic development in November 2021.
Premier Jason Kenney placed Horner in the ag portfolio following Devin Dreeshen’s resignation.
The MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake resigned from his ministerial duties citing “personal conduct with regards to alcohol.”
The former ag minister is back in cabinet under Premier Smith.
Dreeshen is the new minister of transportation and economic corridors.
“I will use this position to improve the everyday quality of life for Albertans; and to improve trade links for our energy, agriculture, and manufactured goods around the world. #ableg #abpoli,” Dreeshen tweeted on Oct. 21.
He will also have a place on Treasury Board.
Minister Horner takes his oath beginning at 40:58 of the video.