Then-NDP candidate Lisa Beare listens during a campaign stop in Surrey, B.C., in 2017.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
British Columbia Premier David Eby has announced a mini cabinet reshuffle and named a new post-secondary education minister to replace Selina Robinson, who recently resigned over comments about the Middle East.
Eby said in a statement that Lisa Beare, previously the minister of citizens’ services, would fill the post-secondary education and future skills portfolio.
George Chow moves into the citizens’ services position left open by Beare’s appointment.
Robinson stepped down as a minister on Feb. 5 amid an outcry by pro-Palestinian groups and others in response to remarks she made during an online panel.
Her comment that modern Israel was founded on “a crappy piece of land” triggered accusations of Islamophobia and racism from critics.
Robinson remains a member of the NDP caucus. She announced she won’t be running for re-election when the province goes to the polls in the fall.
Police said this month they had launched an investigation into reports of a death threat against Robinson, although no further information about the threat was released.
Beare represents the riding of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows in the legislature and was first elected in 2017.
She has also previously served as minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport.
Eby said Beare would do a “great job” making sure British Columbians were equipped to close the skills gap employers are facing
“A key challenge in the years ahead is to make sure everyone in B.C. can seize the opportunities ahead of us,” he said.
The premier also appointed Ravi Parmar, who represents the riding of Langford-Juan de Fuca, as parliamentary secretary for international credentials.
The government says his role will be to support Beare to remove barriers for internationally educated professionals to work in the province.