EDMONTON - Two weeks after winning the election, Alison Redford will be shaping Alberta's political landscape when she announces her new cabinet.
The current cabinet consists of 20 MLAs plus the premier. But there is speculation the new version, which will be announced on Tuesday, might be smaller. The premier has also said it will be made up of both new and familiar faces.
Of the 60 PC MLAs, one-third of them are rookies. Longtime MLAs and ministers like Ron Liepert, Ted Morton and Ray Danyluk are out of the mix, so there are vacancies in big portfolios like finance and energy.
Alberta's other main high-profile portfolio - health - is also one to watch.
"(It's) a particularly troubling portfolio because the demands are insatiable and the resources are finite," says U of A political scientist Jim Lightbody.
While Lightbody doesn't expect to see a rookie in either one of those three portfolios, he says anything is possible.
The political scientist also thinks this cabinet may look different than the one Redford picked back when she won the PC leadership because this time, there are fewer people to please.
"She had to have the party with her to carry her through the vote...and now? Now she has won a remarkable, stunning victory. It is her victory alone - she is in charge," explains Lightbody.
He adds that the premier will have to pick carefully, though.
"Regional, gender, race is important. There'll have to be a balance between the two cities. God help her if she puts more Calgary ministers in than Edmonton," Lightbody says. "It's almost a mathematical formula. She has a lot of choice but she doesn't have a lot of choice."
After cabinet is picked on Tuesday, there will be a short sitting of the legislature beginning on May 23rd. No legislation will be introduced, but a new speaker will be elected and there will be a throne speech.
With files from Vassy Kapelos, Global News
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