P.E.I. premier makes major changes in cabinet shuffle

P.E.I. Premier Dennis King announced changes to his cabinet Friday morning.

The cabinet has two new members: Cornwall-Meadowbank MLA Mark McLane becomes minister of finance and Montague-Kilmuir MLA Cory Deagle is minister of transportation and infrastructure.

James Aylward, who was minister of transportation and infrastructure, and Brad Trivers, social development and housing, are out of the cabinet.

Three ministers changed portfolios:

Four positions were unchanged:

King also retains his roles as president of executive council, minister responsible for intergovernmental affairs, Indigenous relations, and Acadian and francophone affairs.

James Aylward's and Brad Trivers's political histories were already closely tied.

In 2017 Aylward beat Trivers in a two-person race to lead P.E.I.'s Progressive Conservatives. Aylward's leadership was short-lived. He resigned in September 2018 after just 11 months in the face of poor polling numbers.

In his last cabinet shuffle in February 2021, King's key moves were promoting Hudson to health and Jameson to education.

That 2021 shuffle was King's only major shift in government leadership since his 2019 election.

In February 2020 he made a minor change, bringing Natalie Jameson into cabinet.

In a news release sent out in advance of the cabinet shuffle, provincial NDP Leader Michelle Neill questioned the need for the cabinet shuffle.

"Will a cabinet shuffle correct the family doctor access crisis, provide relief for the high cost of living, and restore the seed potato industry devastated by potato wart, or will it simply provide a distraction and an accountability escape for government ministries?" she said.

Cabinet shuffles slow down the work of government while ministers get accustomed to their new portfolios, Neill said.