OTTAWA – Newly elected Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer unveiled his shadow cabinet this week, putting his own stamp on the party by leaving out the divisive Kellie Leitch, who was termed Trump-Lite for her abhorrent anti-immigration stance.
Scheer also didn’t see veteran Indo-Canadian MP from Alberta Deepak Obhrai fit to be in his cabinet. He kept another Indo-Canadian MP Bob Saroya, who was formerly Deputy for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, as his new (Associate) for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship.
“Our Shadow Ministers are united, energized, and diverse. We are going to arrive in Ottawa in the fall with one clear message to Canadians: That we are ready to form the next Government of Canada,” Scheer said in a press release.
Leitch, the polarizing leadership candidate who proposed questioning immigrants about their commitment to “Canadian values” and celebrated Donald Trump’s election victory in the U.S., had loomed as one of the more interesting early decisions Scheer would have to make as Conservative leader.
Though she finished sixth in that race, she still seemed to find an audience. What’s more, she was a minister in Stephen Harper’s cabinet and had been health critic when the Conservatives moved to Opposition in 2015 (she relinquished that role when she entered the leadership race). She’s a doctor and, at least previous to her screening proposal, she could be described as a well-connected party insider.
But her inclusion in the shadow cabinet would have been noted. Indeed, the Liberals would’ve no doubt been thrilled to turn her presence into a club with which they could beat Scheer over the head.
Now, as Scheer continues to recast the post-Harper Conservative Party, Leitch is relegated to the backbench.
The prominent role of finance goes to Pierre Poilievre, who is perhaps most famous for frustrating his partisan rivals in question period. It was taken away from Scheer’s main rival in the leadership battle Maxime Bernier, who he so narrowly defeated.
That reputation aside, Poilievre has revelled in expounding on “economic freedom.” He has said that reading Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom at the age of 17 was a “seminal” moment in his political development. His website has been decorated with quotes like, “Small government makes for big citizens” and “Government cannot give anything, without first taking it away.”
SCHEER’S TEAM
In addition to the naming of Lisa Raitt as Deputy Leader, Alain Rayes as Quebec Political Lieutenant, Candice Bergen as House Leader, Mark Strahl as Chief Opposition Whip, and Chris Warkentin as Deputy House Leader, the following caucus members have been named part of the Official Opposition House Leadership Team:
John Brassard has been named Deputy Opposition Whip.
Hon. Diane Finley has been named Caucus-Party Liaison.
Shadow Cabinet Ministers
Ziad Aboultaif (formerly National Revenue) becomes Shadow Minister for International Development.
Dan Albas (formerly Deputy, Finance) becomes Shadow Minister for Small Business.
Dean Allison (formerly International Development) becomes Shadow Minister for International Trade.
John Barlow (formerly Interprovincial Trade) becomes Shadow Minister (Associate) for Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Hon. Maxime Bernier becomes Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science, and Economic Development.
Luc Berthold (formerly Deputy for Transport and Rail Safety) becomes Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food.
James Bezan remains Shadow Minister for National Defence.
Hon. Steven Blaney becomes Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs.
Kelly Block remains Shadow Minister for Transport.
Hon. Michael Chong becomes Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Communities, and Urban Affairs.
Hon. Tony Clement (formerly Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) becomes Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement.
Gérard Deltell (formerly Finance) becomes Shadow Minister for Treasury Board.
Todd Doherty remains Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans, and Canadian Coast Guard, adding the Asia-Pacific Gateway.
Hon. Ed Fast remains Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change.
Marilyn Gladu (formerly Science) becomes Shadow Minister for Health.
Rachael Harder (formerly Youth and Persons with Disabilities, and Deputy Health) becomes Shadow Minister for Status of Women.
Matt Jeneroux (formerly Western Economic Diversification) becomes Shadow Minister for Science.
Pat Kelly (formerly Deputy, Treasury Board) becomes Shadow Minister for National Revenue.
Hon. Peter Kent (formerly Foreign Affairs) becomes Shadow Minister for Ethics.
Cathy McLeod (formerly Indigenous Affairs) becomes Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Indigenous Services, and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
Hon. Rob Moore remains Shadow Minister for Atlantic Issues and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
Hon. Rob Nicholson remains Shadow Minister for Justice.
Alexander Nuttall (formerly Economic Development for Southern Ontario, and Deputy for Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Sharing Economy) becomes Shadow Minister for Youth, Sport, and Persons with Disabilities.
Hon. Erin O’Toole becomes Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Pierre Paul-Hus (formerly Associate, National Defence) becomes Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
Hon. Pierre Poilievre (formerly Work and Opportunity, and National Capital Commission) becomes Shadow Minister for Finance and National Capital Commission.
Alain Rayes (formerly Associate, Infrastructure, Communities, and Urban Affairs) becomes Shadow Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs.
Scott Reid remains Shadow Minister for Democratic Institutions.
Hon. Michelle Rempel remains Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship.
Bob Saroya (formerly Deputy for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship) becomes Shadow Minister (Associate) for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship.
Shannon Stubbs (formerly Deputy for Natural Resources) becomes Shadow Minister for Natural Resources.
Hon. Peter Van Loan remains Shadow Minister for Canadian Heritage and National Historic Sites.
Karen Vecchio remains Shadow Minister for Families, Children and Social Development.
Dianne Watts (formerly Infrastructure, Communities, and Urban Affairs) becomes Shadow Minister for Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
Hon. Alice Wong (formerly Small Business) becomes Shadow Minister for Seniors.
