Andrew Scheer's 'shadow cabinet' reflects attempt to mend Conservative leadership race ruptures
Most of the MPs who ran against Scheer for the leadership rivals have roles in his shadow cabinet, though three are excluded

nationalpost.com
By Marie-Danielle Smith
Aug. 30, 2017

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer unveiled his team of “shadow ministers” Wednesday, an apparent attempt to unite factions within the party by empowering his former rivals.

Months after a leadership race that included its share of intraparty tension, most of the MPs who ran against Scheer for the leadership rivals have roles in his shadow cabinet, though three are excluded. A legion of MPs who backed candidates other than Scheer have also been given roles.

Libertarian-leaning Maxime Bernier, from whom Scheer snatched victory in the final round of balloting at May’s leadership convention, gets the industry and innovation file, while a key organizer from Bernier’s campaign, Ontario MP Alex Nuttall, moves from that role to handle youth, sports and persons with disabilities. Tony Clement, who dropped out of the leadership race and ended up supporting Bernier, becomes the critic responsible for procurement.

Bernier had indicated his desire for the finance critic role, which instead goes to Ottawa MP Pierre Poilievre. A member of Stephen Harper’s Cabinet, Poilievre has long been vocal on tax issues, and will also retain his role as critic for the National Capital Commission. Gérard Deltell, who was finance critic under interim leader Rona Ambrose but who endorsed Erin O’Toole’s bid for leader, will now shadow the Treasury Board.

O’Toole, who finished third in the leadership contest, gets foreign affairs, replacing Peter Kent - who was a supporter of Red Tory Michael Chong, and who now takes on the ethics file.

Chong, for his part, will become the Conservative critic on infrastructure, communities and urban affairs.

Another leadership rival, Steven Blaney, becomes critic for veterans affairs, a file on which he served as minister under Harper.

The three MPs whose bids for leader failed and who find themselves excluded from Scheer’s shadow cabinet are Deepak Obhrai, the longest-serving Conservative MP, who finished last on the first ballot; Brad Trost, the social conservative from whom Scheer picked up significant down-ballot support; and one of the most polarizing figures in the leadership race, Kellie Leitch.

“Andrew as leader is doing what’s best for the party he has my full support,” Trost said in an email to the Post.

Calgary MP Michelle Rempel, who didn’t publicly endorse a leadership candidate, retains the immigration file, as Rob Nicholson, who also remained publicly unaligned, keeps justice.

Leitch supporter Peter Van Loan retains the Canadian heritage file. Dean Allison, who supported Lisa Raitt, is on international trade. Dan Albas, a supporter of Bernier, gets small business. James Bezan, Todd Doherty, Ed Fast and Karen Vecchio, who backed O’Toole, continue in their respective current roles in national defence, fisheries, environment and social development. More O’Toole backers, Rachael Harder, Pat Kelly and Dianne Watts, switch into new roles: status of women, national revenue and labour.

Fully 11 of Scheer’s endorsers get shadow cabinet positions. Among them, Luc Berthold gets a promotion from deputy critic of transport to shadow minister of agriculture. Marilyn Gladu also gets a promotion from science to health, replacing Colin Carrie, who’s been dropped from the shadow cabinet.

The Conservatives have opted not to create two critic roles to match the Liberals’ two Indigenous affairs ministers; existing critic Cathy McLeod - yet another O’Toole supporter - will take on both.

House leadership remains steady, with Raitt acting as deputy leader, Alain Rayes as Quebec political lieutenant, Candice Bergen as House leader, Mark Strahl as whip, and Chris Warkentin and John Brassard acting as deputies, respectively, to the House leader and whip. Diane Finley is caucus-party liaison.

Instead of naming them “critics,” Scheer is calling his team “shadow ministers” because, as the tone of a Wednesday press release suggests, he’s trying to position the Tories as a government-in-waiting.

Trudeau’s Liberals consistently poll above the Tories, but a lot can change by 2019 - including any waves made by a new NDP leader elected in October.