British Columbia's embattled finance minister remains in his portfolio despite a massive cabinet and bureaucracy shakeup Monday.

Colin Hansen was minister when the government introduced the much-hated harmonized sales tax and has echoed the premier's admission that BC Liberals did a lousy job of getting the public on board.

But Premier Gordon Campbell expressed his continuing confidence in Hansen, who has been a loyal lieutenant since he was elected in 1996.

"He's done a really good job," Campbell said, adding Hansen has weathered the storm in spite of huge challenges.

Campbell said the cabinet changes include one new minister and new or changed portfolios for 16 current ministers.

"It's really trying to build on some of the successes we've had," Campbell told reporters after the cabinet shuffle was announced.

But one of the biggest surprises didn't involve cabinet.

Campbell announced that his longtime chief of staff, Martyn Brown, would leave the job to become deputy minister of Tourism, Trade and Investment.

The premier said that in part, Brown's job will be to help B.C. capitalize on its "Olympic momentum."

Brown has been Campbell's right hand since the Liberals swept to power in 2001.

He has crafted throne speeches and has played an integral role in the government's policy decisions, including efforts to create a new relationship with First Nations and the decision to push B.C. toward unprecedented environmental standards.

"It's a personal loss for me, but a great benefit for the province," Campbell said.

Brown will be replaced by Paul Taylor, who was the BC Liberals' first deputy minister of finance starting in 2001 and helped steer the province through a period of intense change and austerity.

Most recently, Taylor served as CEO of a wind energy company and before that, he led the Insurance Corporation of B.C.

Brown recently came to the public's attention when he testified at the trial of two former ministerial aides who pleaded guilty last week to charges of breach of trust and accepting a benefit in connection with the 2003 deal to privatize BC Rail.

The newcomer to cabinet is Stephanie Cadieux, who represents the Surrey, B.C., area. She will serve as minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Barry Penner, who had been environment minister, was moved to Aboriginal Relations.

And Rich Coleman resumes his role as minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

It's a portfolio he has had before, but Attorney General Mike de Jong has been doing double-duty on it since earlier this year after Kash Heed resigned.

Heed had to leave the job, twice, after an investigation into Elections Act violations by some of his campaign workers.

Heed has been cleared, but in the past few weeks, has criticized the way the Liberals have been handling talks for a renewed contract with the RCMP for provincial policing.

Heed was not returned to cabinet in Monday's shuffle.

George Abbott, who had been minister of Aboriginal Relations, was moved to the Education portfolio on Monday. He replaces Margaret MacDiarmid, who was moved to Tourism, Trade and Investment.