Local MLA Peter Guthrie has been named Energy minister and will have a prominent role in Danielle Smith's UCP government.

He's also been named to the treasury board.

Today, Premier Smith announced her first cabinet. It sees the return of Travis Toews, who finished second the UCP leadership race, to the finance post, and Brian Jean, the third-place contender, has been named minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development.

"I'm certainly excited," says Guthrie. "We have a limited period of time, there are only seven months to the next election, so we'll have to be very focused on itemizing what it is the premier wants to accomplish, and driving towards these items and getting them completed."

A major focus of his role in the Energy portfolio is the province's STAR program which encourages energy companies to clean up orphan wells.

"What it does is it incentivizes those to clean up orphan wells but at the same time, it is incentivizing those same companies to be able to use that royalty credit in order to continue that good work in Alberta in  production."

Guthrie believes Premier Smith has put together a well-thought-out, solid team. He says her focus was not so much about putting the focus on rural MLAs than getting the right people in place.

"I think that one of the things that she was more focused on was having the right people in the right ministries," says Guthrie. "Premier Kenney had a very large concentration in Calgary so perhaps there will be somewhat of a deviation from that."

The Airdrie-Cochrane UCP Constituency Association held its AGM last night and the UCP AGM is this weekend.

Right now, Guthrie is on his way to the AGM that starts at 4 p.m. and continues until Sunday.

It follows a caucus retreat earlier this week.

"It was a great engagement. The feedback from our MLAs was extremely positive and so I'm just quite excited about moving forward here as a unit."

Guthrie was the first MLA to support Smith in her bid for the UCP leadership and hit the road promoting her campaign. After her first caucus meeting on Oct. 7, he said there was a positive vibe in the room

Pete and DanielleAirdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie was the first MLA to throw his support behind Danielle Smith. The two are shown here early in Smith's leadership campaign. 

Other members of cabinet are:

  • Deputy Premier and Minister of Skilled Trades and Professions – Kaycee Madu
  • Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure – Nathan Neudorf
  • President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance – Travis Toews
  • Minister of Justice – Tyler Shandro
  • Minister of Health – Jason Copping
  • Minister of Environment and Protected Areas – Sonya Savage
  • Minister of Technology and Innovation – Nate Glubish
  • Minister of Affordability and Utilities – Matt Jones
  • Minister of Municipal Affairs – Rebecca Schulz
  • Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors – Devin Dreeshen
  • Minister of Public Safety – Mike Ellis
  • Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation – Nate Horner
  • Minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism – Todd Loewen
  • Minister of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism – Rajan Sawhney
  • Minister of Education – Adriana LaGrange
  • Minister of Advanced Education – Demetrios Nicolaides
  • Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction – Dale Nally
  • Minister of Indigenous Relations – Rick Wilson
  • Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services – Jeremy Nixon
  • Minister of Children’s Services – Mickey Amery
  • Minister of Mental Health and Addictions – Nicholas Milliken
  • Minister of Culture – Jason Luan

Caucus leadership positions will include:

  • Whip (Minister without portfolio) – Brad Rutherford
  • House Leader (Minister without portfolio) – Joseph Schow
  • Deputy House Leaders – Kaycee Madu, Mickey Amery, David Hanson

Ministers will be assisted in their work by the following parliamentary secretaries:

  • Parliamentary Secretary for Ukrainian Refugee Settlement – Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk
  • Parliamentary Secretary for EMS Reform – RJ Sigurdson
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health – Tany Yao
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridors – Shane Getson
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism – Miranda Rosin
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Agrifood Development – Glenn van Dijken
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism – Devinder Toor
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women – Tanya Fir
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Community Outreach – Muhammad Yaseen
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Procurement Transformation – David Hanson
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business – Martin Long

New government committees will be chaired by:

  • Economy and Affordability Cabinet Policy Committee – Jason Nixon
  • Alberta First Cabinet Policy Committee – Garth Rowswell
  • Social Services Cabinet Policy Committee – Searle Turton
  • Building Communities Cabinet Policy Committee – Pat Rehn
  • Legislative Review Committee Chair – Jason Stephan

Treasury Board members will include:

  • Travis Toews
  • Matt Jones
  • Nate Glubish
  • Rebecca Schulz
  • Devin Dreeshen
  • Jordan Walker
  • Rick Wilson
  • Nathan Neudorf
  • Pete Guthrie

Cabinet members will be sworn in on the morning of Monday, Oct. 24 at 11 a.m. and will then begin receiving briefings from their departments.