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Federal NDP names shadow cabinet

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The NDP’s new shadow cabinet will be fronted by parliamentary veterans with leader Tom Mulcair handling the contentious energy portfolio.

All 44 New Democrat MPs have been given opposition critic responsibilities with a roughly 50-50 male-female ratio.

As energy critic, Mulcair will almost certainly be drawn into the debate over the proposed Energy East pipeline, which is not popular in his home province of Quebec. During the recent election campaign, Mulcair was accused of waffling on the issue, saying he generally supported the pipeline but wants a tougher federal pipeline review process.

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Long-time MP David Christopherson, NDP deputy leader in the last Parliament, will serve as public safety critic as the new Liberal government overhauls the controversial Bill C-51 national security legislation, which the NDP vehemently opposes. Christopherson, a former Ontario minister of correctional services and solicitor-general, also will chair the party’s priorities and planning committee.

MP Alexandre Boulerice, touted as a future leadership contender within the NDP, will be Mulcair’s Quebec lieutenant and opposition critic on ethics.

Hélène Laverdière, from Quebec, becomes foreign affairs critic.

Nathan Cullen, the NDP’s former House Leader and 2012 leadership candidate, takes on the challenging environment portfolio. Cullen also will serve as the democratic reform critic with the aim of reforming the electoral system.

Randall Garrison, the former Official Opposition public safety critic who led much of the party’s charge against C-51, has moved to national defence and LGBT critic. Guy Caron gets finance. Charlie Angus becomes indigenous affairs critic.

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“Our shadow cabinet is ready to get results for Canadians and ensure the new government fulfills its promises for change,” Mulcair said in a statement. “This is a strong NDP team that’s ready to move forward with hope and optimism.”

NDP SHADOW CABINET

SHADOW MINISTERRIDINGSHADOW PORTFOLIO
Mulcair, ThomasOutremontLeader, Intergovernmental Affairs, Energy
Christopherson, DavidHamilton CentreChair – Priorities and Planning Committee, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Angus, CharlieTimmins–James BayIndigenous and Northern Affairs
Ashton, NikiChurchill-Keewatinook AskiJobs (Employment and Workforce Development)
Aubin, RobertTrois-RivièresInternational Development and La Francophonie
Benson, SheriSaskatoon WestLabour
Blaikie, DanielElmwood–TransconaTreasury Board, Deputy Ethics
Blaney, RachelNorth Island–Powell RiverMulticulturalism, Deputy Infrastructure and Communities
Boulerice, AlexandreRosemont–La Petite-PatrieQuebec Lieutenant, Ethics, Deputy Democratic Reform
Boutin-Sweet, MarjolaineHochelagaWhip, Housing
Brosseau, Ruth EllenBerthier–MaskinongéAgriculture and Agri-Food
Cannings, RichardSouth Okanagan–West KootenayPost-Secondary Education, Deputy Natural Resources
Caron, GuyRimouski-Neigette–Témiscouata–Les BasquesFinance, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Deputy Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard
Choquette, FrançoisDrummondOfficial Languages
Cullen, NathanSkeena-Bulkley ValleyEnvironment and Climate Change, Democratic Reform
Davies, DonVancouver KingswayHealth
Donnelly, FinPort Moody–CoquitlamFisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard
Dubé, MatthewBeloeil–ChamblyInfrastructure and Communities, Deputy House Leader
Duncan, LindaEdmonton StrathconaTransport
Dusseault, Pierre-LucSherbrookeNational Revenue
Duvall, ScottHamilton MountainPensions, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Garrison, RandallEsquimalt–Saanich–SookeNational Defence, LGBTQ Issues
Hardcastle, CherylWindsor–TecumsehSport and Persons with Disabilities
Hughes, CarolAlgoma–Manitoulin–KapuskasingNatural Resources, Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
Johns, GordCourtenay–AlberniSmall Business and Tourism
Jolibois, GeorginaDesnethé-Missinippi-Churchill RiverWestern Economic Diversification Canada, Deputy Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Julian, PeterNew Westminster–BurnabyHouse Leader
Kwan, JennyVancouver EastImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Laverdière, HélèneLaurier–Sainte-MarieForeign Affairs
MacGregor, AlistairCowichan–Malahat–LangfordSeniors, Deputy Heritage
Malcolmson, SheilaNanaimo–LadysmithStatus of Women
Masse, BrianWindsor WestInnovation, Science and Economic Development
Mathyssen, IreneLondon–FanshaweVeterans Affairs, Deputy Whip
Moore, ChristineAbitibi–TémiscamingueRural Affairs, Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Nantel, PierreLongueuil–Saint-HubertCanadian Heritage
Quach, Anne Minh-ThuSalaberry–SuroîtYouth
Ramsey, TraceyEssexInternational Trade
Rankin, MurrayVictoriaJustice and Attorney General
Saganash, RomeoAbitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–EeyouIntergovernmental Indigenous Affairs, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Sansoucy, BrigitteSaint-Hyacinthe–BagotFamilies, Children and Social Development, Deputy Health
Stetski, WayneKootenay–ColumbiaNational Parks
Stewart, KennedyBurnaby SouthScience
Trudel, KarineJonquièreCanada Post, Deputy Labour
Weir, ErinRegina–LewvanPublic Services and Procurement

imacleod@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/@macleod_ian

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