Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has named her new cabinet, and it includes a new agriculture minister.
RJ Sigurdson, the MLA for Highwood, has been appointed Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, replacing Nate Horner, who was named Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board.
Horner had served as the province’s ag minister since late 2021.
According to the United Conservative Party’s website, Sigurdson was raised on a farm near Cochrane, is a red seal journeyman in a mechanical trade, and has been a shareholder of a mechanical construction company in Rockyview County.
He was first elected to the provincial legislature in 2019 in the Highwood riding, which lies just south of Calgary and includes the communities of Okotoks, Black Diamond, and Turner Valley.
Horner’s predecessor, Devin Dreeshen, was reappointed Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.
Alberta’s cabinet, as announced June 9, 2023:
Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Relations – Danielle Smith
Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services – Mike Ellis
Minister of Advanced Education – Rajan Sawhney
Minister of Affordability and Utilities and Vice-chair of Treasury Board – Nathan Neudorf
Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation – RJ Sigurdson
Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women – Tanya Fir
Minister of Children and Family Services – Searle Turton
Minister of Education – Demetrios Nicolaides
Minister of Energy and Minerals – Brian Jean
Minister of Environment and Protected Areas – Rebecca Schulz
Ministry of Forestry and Parks – Todd Loewen
Minister of Health – Adriana LaGrange
Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism – Muhammad Yaseen
Minister of Indigenous Relations – Rick Wilson
Minister of Infrastructure – Pete Guthrie
Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade – Matt Jones
Minister of Justice – Mickey Amery
Minister of Mental Health and Addiction – Dan Williams
Minister of Municipal Affairs – Ric McIver
Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services – Jason Nixon
Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction – Dale Nally
Minister of Technology and Innovation – Nate Glubish
Minister of Tourism and Sport – Joseph Schow
Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors – Devin Dreeshen
President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance – Nate Horner