Premier Tim Houston made a surprise cabinet shuffle this past week. The ceremony was a private event with no media in attendance.

Premier Houston declared in a statement that he wanted to make Nova Scotia an energy superpower and is now taking over the Minister of Energy portfolio.

Three cabinet ministers were shuffled out, and 2 MLAs have joined the cabinet for the first time. Trevor Boudreau, formerly Minister of Energy, was removed from cabinet, as well as former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Becky Druhan, and former Minister of Natural Resources Tory Rushton.

MLA for East Hants , John A. MacDonald, joins the cabinet as Minister of Municipal Affairs, and the MLA for Glace Bay-Dominion, John White, joins the cabinet as Minister of Housing.

Other changes to the cabinet include:

• Minister of Emergency Management Kim Masland is adding Natural Resources to her portfolio.
• Minister of Seniors Barb Adams adds Opportunities and Social Development to her portfolio.
• Minister Scott Armstrong moves to Justice and becomes the Attorney General of Nova Scotia. He also becomes the Minister of Anti-Racism and Equity.

Since the cabinet shuffle, Becky Druhan has announced that she has left the Progressive Conservative party and caucus. She will now sit as an Independent.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jenn English.