Eby shuffles cabinet after Bailey cancer diagnosis, Osborne to Finance, Kahlon to Health - Barriere North Thompson Star
Published 10:47 am Friday, August 14, 2026By Mark Page/Black PressPremier David Eby is shuffling his cabinet following Finance Minister Brenda Bailey’s cancer diagnosis. Bailey says her cancer is treatable,. . .
Published 10:47 am Friday, August 14, 2026By Mark Page/Black PressPremier David Eby is shuffling his cabinet following Finance Minister Brenda Bailey’s cancer diagnosis. Bailey says her cancer is treatable, and she expects to be back to work in six weeks. “My prognosis is very good,” she said. “I expect to be there on the day that we’re back at the legislature in October. ”In the meantime, Eby says he must ensure continuity in one of the most critical roles in government. “To make sure that Brenda has the support that she needs and to make sure that the work of government can continue without missing a beat, there will be some changes to our cabinet,” he said on Friday (Aug. 14). Health Minister Josie Osborne will take over for Bailey, with Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon taking over at Health. Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix will take over the jobs file in addition to his current portfolio until Bailey completes treatment. Bailey will then take over Jobs, a post she previously held, when she is back. “Brenda will be going back to a file that she knows and can tell that with work she can pick up immediately once she’s back,” she said. Eby pointed to Osborne’s success in the Health file in bringing more doctors to B. C. as reason to trust her with the Finance portfolio, which impacts every part of government. And he highlighted the “energy” Kahlon will bring to the Health ministry. This represents a shuffling of Eby’s most trusted lieutenants, adding responsibility for people in a group he has often relied upon, rather than bringing in any backbenchers. “The hope that we have based on what Brenda has been told is that this will be a relatively short period of time away, that she’ll be back in October,” Eby said. “And so that informed my decision to ask Adrian to fill in temporarily on a file that he’s familiar with through his work in the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions. ”