Executive Council
December 6, 2010  

Premier Announces Changes to Cabinet

The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced changes to her Cabinet.

In a ceremony at Government House in St. John�s today, the following appointments became effective:

• Minister of Natural Resources and Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency � The Honourable Shawn Skinner.
• Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development; Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat; and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women � The Honourable Susan Sullivan.  Minister Sullivan maintains her responsibility for Francophone Affairs.

Also today, the Honourable Joan Burke is appointed Acting Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment; Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Minister Responsible for the Labour Relations Agency; Minister Responsible for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission; and, Minister Responsible for Youth Engagement. These are in addition to Minister Burke�s current responsibilities as Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services.

�I thank these Ministers for their enthusiastic acceptance of their new portfolios and responsibilities,� said Premier Dunderdale. �Their previous experience at the Cabinet table will serve them well as they take on new challenges. I welcome their ongoing contributions and commitment and wish them well in their new roles.�

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Media contact:

Andrea Nolan
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
709-729-4304, 727-0991
andreanolan@gov.nl.ca 

Biographies

The Honourable Shawn Skinner � Member for St. John�s Centre
Shawn Skinner has served as Member of the House of Assembly for the district of St. John�s Centre since October 2003.

Prior to being elected MHA, Minister Skinner served as municipal councilor for the City of St. John�s from 1993 to 1997 and worked primarily in the field of adult education and skills training. Throughout his career, Minister Skinner has been actively engaged in community service working closely with the St. John�s Boys and Girls Club, Canadian Blood Services, CNIB, and the Benevolent Irish Society.

Minister Skinner was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier in July 2006. He assumed the position of Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and Minister Responsible for Housing in January 2007. In October 2007, he also assumed the position of Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities, a position he held until October 2008, when he was named Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat.

Minister Skinner is committed to improving Newfoundland and Labrador�s social and economic climate. As part of this commitment, he is focused on collaborating with the business and academic communities to strengthen the province�s innovative capacity, rural economies, and export capacity.

The Honourable Susan Sullivan � Member for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans

Susan Sullivan was elected to the House of Assembly in the deferred general election in the district of Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans on November 6, 2007, and was first appointed to Cabinet in October 2008 as Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment; Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Minister Responsible for the Labour Relations Agency and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.

Born and raised in Grand Falls-Windsor, Minister Sullivan is fiercely proud of her hometown and its rich legacy of social, cultural, and economic leadership.

Minister Sullivan has a Bachelor of Arts (French major) and a Bachelor of Education from Memorial University. She has a Masters of Education (literacy) from Mount St. Vincent University and a French immersion diploma from l'Universit� Laval.

She retired in June of 2007 following a 30-year teaching career, working the last seven years as the French Department Head for the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation where she taught senior high French to all parts of the province via the Internet.

In the 2005 municipal election, Minister Sullivan was elected Deputy Mayor of Grand Falls-Windsor, serving as Chair of the Public Works and Engineering Committee and the 2006 Salmon Festival. She was a member of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, the Finance and Human Resources Committee, and the Post Secondary Education Committee. She was also a director of the EXCITE Corporation and a board member of the Exploits Valley Economic Development Corporation where she served on the Municipalities Committee as well as the Education and IT Committees.

The Honourable Joan Burke � Member for St. George�s � Stephenville East

Joan Burke was born and raised in Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador and was first elected to the House of Assembly in October 2003.

Minister Burke�s first Cabinet appointment was as Minister of Human Resources and Employment and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women in November 2003. In February 2004, her responsibilities expanded to include the newly formed Labour Relations Agency, the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, and the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission. At that time she was also named lead Minister for Immigration. On November 8, 2005, she was appointed Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

Minister Burke was re-elected to represent the District of St. George�s-Stephenville East on October 9, 2007. On October 30, 2007 she was again appointed as Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

In May 2008 Minister Burke was named Government House Leader, the first time a woman has been appointed to this position in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador. On April 9, 2009, she was appointed Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, a new department announced in the 2009 Provincial Budget.

Minister Burke�s work in government is greatly supported by her prior educational and professional experience. She graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador and obtained her Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto. Prior to entering public life she worked as a parole officer with the Correctional Services of Canada and served on the executive of the Union of Solicitor General Employees and as a shop steward. Ms. Burke has also spent many years volunteering for a variety of community events and initiatives.

2010 12 06                                                        11:25 a.m.