Conservative Party’s Interim Leadership Shuffles Caucus Roles

Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre rises during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on May 31, 2019. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The Conservative Party is shuffling some of its shadow cabinet roles, with Ed Fast returning as finance critic to replace Pierre Poilievre who cannot serve as critic due to his bid for party leadership.

“During this unprecedented time in our nation’s history, Conservatives are focused on working to bring unity, calm, and wholeness back to our country,” Conservative Party interim leader Candice Bergen said in a Feb. 22 statement announcing the shuffle.

“As we find ways to do that and move toward a post-COVID-19 era, we know there will be huge economic and social challenges continuing to face Canada. We need to align our team to tackle these changes and constructively put forward concrete solutions. We will not only hold the Liberals to account—we want to help provide solutions.”

Though circumstances are different this time around, Fast had replaced Poilievre in that role at the same time last year during a shuffle overseen by former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole.

Poilievre had been given a lesser role as critic for jobs and industry, but was reinstated by O’Toole as finance critic after the 2021 federal election.

Fast served as minister of international trade and minister of the Asia-Pacific gateway under Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In other changes, Gérard Deltell, who was House leader with O’Toole, will serve as critic for innovation, science, and industry, replacing Fast.

Luc Berthold became deputy leader to Bergen and therefore vacated his role as health critic. This role will now be filled by Michael Barrett.

Alain Rayes, who on Tuesday announced he was encouraging former Quebec premier Jean Charest to run for his party’s leadership, was replaced as critic for official languages by Joël Godin.

Kyle Seeback is now critic for environment, James Bezan for ethics, and Shannon Stubbs for rural economic development. Seeback and Stubbs had no previous roles, whereas Bezan was previously deputy whip.

Michelle Rempel Garner, who said she supported O’Toole before he was ousted as leader, was removed from her role as critic for natural resources and replaced by Greg McLean, who didn’t have a previous role.

Bergen also announced that the party would seek to have two MPs appointed on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), which O’Toole had previously boycotted, citing the government’s refusal to release documents related to the firing of scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

Bergen said she wants to have Rempel Garner appointed, as well as Rob Morrison who previously sat on the committee, and mentioned her party would use that avenue to keep pressing on the Winnipeg lab issue.

Critics for key roles such as foreign affairs (Michael Chong), justice (Rob Moore), defence (Kerry-Lynne Findlay), and public safety (Raquel Dancho) have not been shuffled.