Amarjeet Sohi vows Alberta will be heard in cabinet

AmarjeetSohi made a pledge to Albertanson Wednesday, promisingtheir interests will be championed at the cabinet table in Ottawa.

The former Edmontoncitycouncillorwas sworn in as amemberofPrimeMinisterJustinTrudeau'scabinetatRideauHall in Ottawa.

"I feel really humbled and honoured," saidSohi, whonow takes over the portfolio asminister ofInfrastructureand Communities.

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Sohi will have a lot on his plate over the next four years asTrudeaupromisedcities across the country he would committo building badly-needed infrastructure, includingbillions for transit andmajor projects.

He said his department will have three major priorities: funding forpublic transportation, foraffording housing and seniors residences, and toupgradedrainage and wastewater facilities across the country.

Calgary Mayor NaheedNenshi said he and Edmonton Mayor DonIveson will try to make sure that Liberal promises made during the election are honoured.

"We are going to spend a lot of time making sure that they live up to those promises, particularly those on the most important investments any government can make right now," he told an Edmonton audience last month. "And that's investments on public transit."

SohidefeatedformerConservative cabinet ministerTimUppalin Edmonton-Mill Woods byjust 95votesin the October election.

Calgary-CentreMP Kent Hehr, a lawyer andpopular former AlbertaMLA,was also named to cabinet as minister of Veterans Affairs.

With two Alberta MPs in cabinet, Sohi said, the province will be well-represented and its voice will be heard.

"That's what the new approach of Prime Minister Trudeau and the new government is, to be inclusive, to understand the diverse needs of all provinces and regions," he said. "So, we will work hard to ensure that those voices are included.

"I just wantto make sure that Albertans understand that they have nothing to worry about."