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An Indo-Canadian, elected to the British Columbia legislature during last month's provincial election, has found a berth in the Liberal Cabinet sworn in on Tuesday.
Newly -elected provincial premier Gordon Campbell included Dr Gulzar Cheema as minister of state in his 28-member team.
Campbell awarded the mental health portfolio to Cheema, who's a medical doctor.
"My government is committed to renewing public health care, building a top-notch education system, creating new services and opportunities for First nations, revitalising BC's competitive position in the global economy and delivering strong environmental protection," Campbell said after he was sworn in, taking charge of the provincial government from Indo-Canadian Ujjal Dosanjh, whose New Democratic Party secured only two seats in the legislature with the balanced 77 of the 79 legislative seats going to Liberals.
Dosanjh himself was defeated.
Cheema, a seasoned politician who was elected twice before as a liberal member of the Manitoba legislature and served five years as opposition health critic, before he moved to British Columbia a few years back, said much of his attention as a member of the BC legislature "will focus on helping British Columbia set the standard for better health care and promoting our province as the centre for health excellence."
The minister said he strongly believes that the public health care system had to be protected. However, new and innovative approaches must be developed to meet present and future challenges in the health care system as our population grows and ages, he added.
Campbell laid emphasis on accountability by each minister in performing well in his/her portfolio. Each minister will have 20 per cent of their salaries -- about Canadian dollars 7,800 -- withheld each April 1, the start of the fiscal year. It will be released once financial and operational performance targets are met. It is a novel and unheard way of making ministers accountable to tax payers.
There were six Indo-Canadians elected to the legislature, all liberals. They include Dave Hayer, son of Tara Singh Hayer, who was killed two years back when getting off his car outside his Richmond BC home; Tony Bhullar, Rob Nijjar, Patty Sahota and Karn Manhas.
Dosanjh, who has resigned as leader of the provincial NDP, may go back to his legal practice.
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