EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is expected to name her new cabinet today, coming off her United Conservative Party’s election win last month.

The UCP won 49 seats, down from the 63 captured in the 2019 election, and most of Smith’s new team comes from the rural areas and smaller cities.

Smith has said she is not worried about an imbalance, noting that the UCP has representatives in Calgary, in smaller cities and in the municipalities surrounding Edmonton.

The Opposition NDP swept all 20 seats in Edmonton and won just over half the ridings in Calgary.

The UCP has seen a brain drain of talent and cabinet experience, either through retirements or election losses. 

There are vacancies in crucial portfolios of Health, Finance, Justice, Environment, Social Services and Mental Health and Addiction.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2023.

The Canadian Press