Rural B.C. will have a stronger presence in Victoria with the creation of a Minister of State for Rural Economic Development, a new portfolio under the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO). The announcement was made by Premier Christy Clark on October 21.

Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett was sworn in as the new Minister of State the same day. The appointment is an expansion of the role that Barnett, who is in her second term as an MLA, already plays in Victoria, says a spokesperson for the 辫谤别尘颈别谤鈥檚 office. Barnett was parliamentary secretary to FLNRO minister Steve Thompson for more than two years, and has a long association with rural issues.

鈥泪鈥檝别 always worked hard for rural 叠.颁.,鈥� she told The Journal. 鈥淣辞飞 滨鈥檒濒 be able to work at the cabinet table and have more independent discretion and a louder voice.

鈥凌耻谤补濒 communities are the economic driver of the province. The biggest issue is getting people all over B.C. to understand that without rural resources, our economy is in trouble. Rural communities have always been the economic engine of the province, and we have to continue to support our resource 蝉别肠迟辞谤.鈥�

The new portfolio is intended to address the challenges facing rural B.C. A government spokesperson says that while the province is doing very well overall, rural communities are facing some real challenges. 鈥泪蹿 测辞耻鈥檙别 in a forestry or mining town, you know that the global resource economy is weak, and that global appetite for our products is down. The new portfolio shows a sensitivity to the challenge B.C. is 蹿补肠颈苍驳.鈥�

Cache Creek mayor John Ranta is pleased with the appointment. 鈥淕辞辞诲 for her. She has always been an important advocate for rural 肠辞尘尘耻苍颈迟颈别蝉.鈥�

Ranta adds that he has long realized that the sustainability of rural communities is very important. 鈥泪蹿 they continue to decline in population, where will people who work in the resource sector live? People in Vancouver think they drive the economy of the province, but in my view rural communities drive the economy.

鈥泪迟鈥檚 important for the sustainability of urban centres to have a strong rural economy. Without the rest of the province, Vancouver would not be 蝉耻蝉迟补颈苍补产濒别.鈥�

鈥淲别 all have to work 迟辞驳别迟丑别谤,鈥� says Barnett. 鈥淎苍诲 now 滨鈥檒濒 be able to work with my rural colleagues at even greater 濒别苍驳迟丑.鈥�