The interim leader of the B.C. Conservative caucus, Trevor Halford, has reallocated some critic roles. And it means that there is no longer a single member of the shadow cabinet responsible for tourism, arts and culture.
In the past, this role was filled by veteran MLA Teresa Wat, who represents Richmond-Bridgeport in the B.C. legislature. Since late last year, the former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister was shadow critic for tourism, arts, culture, anti-racism, and trade. Now, her areas of responsibility have been pared back somewhat. They still include trade and anti-racism, as well as multiculturalism. But she’s no longer the Official Opposition voice on arts and culture.
Instead, the B.C. Conservative critic for education, Lynne Block, now has the additional responsibilities of arts, culture, and film. Block is the first-term MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano and a former West Vancouver school trustee.
The new B.C. Conservative critic for tourism is Scott McInnis, the rookie MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke. McInnis has a heavy workload as he is also the critic for resort municipalities, the Columbia River Treaty, and Indigenous relations.
Continuing on as the B.C. Conservative critic for sport is Mandeep Dhaliwal, who represents Surrey North in the B.C. legislature. The first-term MLA also retains his critic role for “parental rights”.
This past summer, Premier David Eby shuffled his cabinet and appointed Burnaby Centre MLA Anne Kang as the minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport. This makes the veteran cabinet minister the provincial point person for overseeing a wide range of issues. They include being the provincial spokesperon for the increasingly costly 2026 FIFA World Cup games in Vancouver to having responsibility for provincial funding envelopes for the Community Gaming Grants program, the B.C. Arts Council, and Creative BC.
In addition, Kang is overseeing engagement with diverse communities on the yet-to-be-built provincial Filipino Cultural Centre and the Canadians of South Asian heritage museum.
“My ministry will continue to support arts and culture, and we will work very hard with the sector to enhance the economic growth,” Kang told Pancouver earlier this year.
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