Premier Shawn Graham's shuffling of several of his most senior cabinet ministers will not calm some of his government's harshest critics and opponents.

On Monday, the first working day after the legislative assembly adjourned for the summer, Graham moved seven ministers into new jobs, including three of his most controversial ministers.

At the end of his term in the health portfolio, new Justice Minister Michael Murphy was in a fight with doctors over fees that has the province headed to a court challenge by the physicians.

Mary Schryer moved to Health from the Department of Social Development, where she avoided controversy in one of the government's largest departments.

David Balmain, executive director of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said Graham is wrong if he thinks the change in minister would mend relations with the province's physicians.

Putting Schryer into the health portfolio doesn't change the society's plans to sue over a two-year pay freeze, which its members feel is a breach of contract.

"We wish the minister well in his new portfolio and we welcome the new minister," Balmain said.

"But it really doesn't change the facts in that it's the government, the government at large, that has violated an agreement, and our dispute is still with the government."

The province and the medical society reached a tentative contract in December, but the government is now asking the doctors to accept a two-year wage freeze.

The legislative assembly passed a law last week that would enforce the policy, but the Graham government has indicated it does not wish to proclaim that law, preferring instead to negotiate a settlement.

Despite the doctors' threats of court action, Don Desserud, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, said Schryer's "newness" could help mediate some irritants between the department and health sector groups.

"The thing about minister Schryer is that she's noted for having this quiet diplomacy. And my theory then is that what the premier is hoping is that her diplomatic skills are just what is needed to deal with what could be yet another crisis in health care in this province," Desserud said.

Other ministers caught in public fights

Murphy wasn't the only cabinet minister to spar in public with key interest groups in their departments.

While in education, Kelly Lamrock feuded with the teachers unions over a proposal to stop a planned reduction in class sizes for one year to avoid laying off teaching assistants. Lamrock has been moved over to the Department of Social Development.

And as justice minister, T.J. Burke fired back at a judge who questioned his cuts to the legal aid program. Burke is the province's new environment minister, a switch he said on Monday was a "promotion."

Graham admitted when speaking to reporters that some of his ministers had become too polarizing and their presence had started to overshadow some of the positive changes the government had been making.

Opposition Leader David Alward said the shuffle accomplishes nothing if Graham isn't willing to change his policies.

"What are you going to do if you're simply changing the chairs [and] if the reality is the premier is saying, 'It's status quo?' " Alward said.