Columbia, USA: Niki Sharma has joined the select ranks of Canadian politicians of Indian origin by becoming a Deputy Premier of a province. David Eby, the returning Premier of British Columbia, announced his new Council of Ministers, appointing Sharma as Deputy Premier while she continues to serve as Attorney General for a second consecutive term.

British Columbia has a history of significant milestones for politicians of Indian descent, with Ujjal Dosanjh being the first to lead a provincial government. In the recently concluded provincial assembly elections, members of the Indian diaspora set a record by securing 14 seats.

Eby’s New Democrats achieved a narrow majority in the elections last month, winning 47 seats in the 93-seat legislature. The newly formed Council of Ministers officially assumed office during a swearing-in ceremony held on Monday.

Several notable figures have retained their roles in the new Cabinet, including Ravi Kahlon as Minister of Housing, Niki Sharma as Attorney General and Deputy Premier, Grace Lore as Minister of Children and Family Development, George Chow as Minister of Citizen Services, and Sheila Malcolmson as Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.

Additionally, other MLAs of Indian origin were given key roles, such as Jagrup Brar, who now oversees the Mining and Critical Minerals portfolio, and Ravi Parmar, appointed as Minister of Forests. Raj Chauhan, who made history as the first Indo-Canadian Speaker in the previous Assembly, is expected to continue in this role.

Several Cabinet members saw changes in their responsibilities. Lisa Beare has taken on the role of Minister of Education and Child Care, Bowinn Ma is now Minister of Infrastructure, Jennifer Whiteside is Minister of Labor, Anne Kang oversees Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, and Lana Popham returns to the Agriculture and Food portfolio.

During a press conference following the swearing-in ceremony, Premier Eby emphasized the Cabinet's commitment to addressing key issues and delivering results for British Columbians.

The Premier had to fill nearly a dozen new roles due to some Ministers not seeking re-election or losing their seats in the election, which saw a significant rise in Conservative support. Notable losses include Rachna Singh in Education, Nathan Cullen in Land, Water, and Resources, and Pam Alexis in Agriculture. Veteran Ministers like George Heyman, Harry Bains, Katrine Conroy, and Rob Fleming also chose not to contest the election.

To ensure representation and efficient governance, Eby appointed 14 parliamentary secretaries, bringing the total number of New Democrat MLAs with legislative or portfolio responsibilities to 41. This excludes positions like Caucus Whip, Caucus Chair, Speaker, and Deputy Whip, which also include additional pay allowances.