[2] On August 18, 2011, Barry Penner stepped down as attorney general after announcing his impending retirement from politics.

[3] Clark first shuffled her cabinet on September 26, 2011, demoting Harry Bloy from Minister of Social Development to Minister of State for Multiculturalism, and moving Stephanie Cadieux into Bloy's old portfolio and Margaret MacDiarmid into Cadieux's.

Among the ministers departing were Kevin Falcon and George Abbott, while those taking on new portfolios included Rich Coleman (deputy premier) and Mike de Jong (finance).

[6] Columnist Keith Baldry noted that many of the ministries that receive the most media attention and coverage would be helmed by new ministers, allowing the government to present a "fresh face" and move on from the Campbell era.

[b] Several existing ministers were shuffled to different portfolios; Clark downplayed the changes, describing the government as being in "caretaker mode" and that it wouldn't pursue any new policies, but added "the team reflects the results of listening to what voters told us in the last election.