New Brunswick.

• Author: Sonier, Loredana Catalli
• Position: Legislative Reports - Conference notes

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On October 31, 2007, Premier Shawn Graham announced the first changes to Cabinet since the Liberal Government took office in October of 2006. Eugene McGinley resigned as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and was sworn in as Minister of State for Seniors and Minister of State for Housing. Wally Stiles was appointed Minister of Human Resources.

Three additional portfolios which were under the responsibility of other ministers were announced as separate ministries: Hedard Albert, former Minister of Human Resources, was appointed Minister of Wellness, Culture and Sport and Minister responsible for the Francophonie; Carmel Robichaud, former Minister of Family and Community Services and Minister responsible for the Status of Women, was appointed Minister of Local Government and Minister responsible for Community Non-profit Organizations, and Mary Schryer, former Minister of State for Seniors and Housing, became Minister of Family and Community Services and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. Minister of Health, Michael Murphy was appointed Government House Leader replacing Stuart Jamieson who retains his portfolio as Minister of Tourism and Parks.

The Second Session of the 56th Legislature convened at 11 a.m. November 27 when Members elected former Deputy Speaker and long-time educator Roy Boudreau as Speaker before recessing until 3 p.m. for the delivery of the Speech from the Throne by His Honour Hermenegilde Chiasson, Lieutenant-Governor.

Throne Speech

The Throne Speech proposed a legislative agenda to set in motion transformative change toward a self-sufficient New Brunswick.

Among the highlights: a balanced budget for 2008-2009; the mandate of Service New Brunswick to expand; government departments will transfer customer-facing services to Service New Brunswick; a new Provincial Health Plan to be introduced; amendments to the Pharmacists Act to enable pharmacists to prescribe certain drugs; midwifery to be regulated; legislation to legalize living wills and to provide for substitute decision makers to make health care decisions; a Task Force on Access to Family Justice to report on options for increasing access to justice in family law disputes; pay day lenders legislation to set limits on the cost of borrowing; mandatory coroner's inquests for workplace fatalities to be instituted; a Domestic Violence Death Review Committee to be established.

Other highlights: A Commissioner on the Future of Local...