Sylvia Brustad

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Sylvia Brustad (born December 19, 1966 in Elverum) is a Norwegian politician who is the current Minister for Norwegian Health and Care Services in the second cabinet Stoltenberg. She represents the Norwegian Labour Party.

Brustad graduated from high school in 1983, and attended the media courses at the folkehøyskole in Ringsaker until 1985. She then worked as a journalist, among other publications she worked for LO-aktuelt, the news publication of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions.

Brustad was elected to a county council seat in Hedmark following the local elections of 1987. She was elected to a seat in parliament during the 1989 elections. She became Minister for Child and Family affairs in Thorbjørn Jagland's cabinet between 1996 and 1997, and Minister for Local Municipalities and Regional affairs in Jens Stoltenberg's first cabinet between 2000 and 2001. Following the electoral victory of the 2005 elections, Brustad became the minister for Health and Care Services in Stoltenberg's second cabinet.

Brustad became known for her role as Minister for Child and Family Affairs when a law restricting the opening hours of shops on Sundays, holidays and after nine in the evening was passed. Only stores smaller than 100 square metres were allowed to remain open, such shops were somewhat disparagingly nicknamed "Brustadbuer" ("Brustad corner stores"), until the law was quietly repealed in 2003^[1]. Brustad herself claimed that she had not personally advocated the law, but that she was required to follow through on a decision within the Labor Party. ^[2]

[edit] External links and references

• CV list of Brustad's political career Ministry of Health and Care Services.

1. ^ Ingen har merket at Brustadbua forsvant (Nobody noticed that the Brustadbu disapperared, onlinmagasinet.no, published June 11 2003
2. ^ Brustad angrer "Brustad-bua" (Brustad regrets the Brustadbua) Aftenposten July 15, 2002