By Pete McIntyre

Business group questions larger cabinet

Nov 21, 2019 | 1:56 PM

The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce is concerned with the size of the Trudeau government’s new cabinet.

It includes 37 ministers, up from the former 35.

Chamber General Manager Dione Chambers said that not only increases the cost of government to taxpayers, but also creates additional bureaucracy for business to navigate.

As for the make-up of Trudeau’s leadership group, chamber members are pleased to see two particular ministers returning.

“In terms of the appointments, we are pleased to see the return of Mary Ng in small business and Marie-Claude Bibeau in agriculture. Both ministers have met with our chamber in the past year and we hope that those discussions will continue to drive policy beneficial to our members, and particularly the need for a reduced excise tax for Okanagan Spirits and other distillers,” Chambers added.

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North Okanagan Shuswap MP Mel Arnold told Vernon Matters earlier, he is concerned the Trudeau government has appointed its fourth fisheries minister in the last four years, but was hoping to work with Bernadette Jordan to bring funds to the Okanagan Shuswap to fight the spread of invasive aquatic mussel species.

“The Chamber also shares the concerns of MP Mel Arnold about the revolving door of ministers at Fisheries and Oceans,” Chambers said. “That department requires stability and we urge Minister Bernadette Jordan to immediately address the threat aquatic invasive species pose to Okanagan lakes and the economy.”

by Pete McIntyre

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