Three of four Kamloops and Okanagan MPs in Conservative shadow cabinet

Two Southern Interior supporters of the Conservative Party of Canada’s new leader, Erin O’Toole, have been named to his shadow cabinet, along with a third MP who did not endorse him.

Dan Albas, MP for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, did not take a stand on the recent leadership race even though he was an early supporter of Maxime Bernier in the 2017 campaign, won by Andrew Scheer.

Despite taking a back seat during the race, Albas was named Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change when O’Toole announced his shadow cabinet today, Sept. 8.

Cathy McLeod, the MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, backed O’Toole in 2017 and again this time. O’Toole finished third in 2017.

McLeod was named shadow minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations.

Kelowna-Lake Country MP Tracy Gray endorsed O’Toole as well in his latest bid and was rewarded by being named shadow minister for Export Promotion and International Trade.

O’Toole won the leadership on Aug. 24, replacing Scheer, who was also named to the Shadow Cabinet as critic for Infrastructure and Communities.

Mel Arnold, the Southern Interior’s fourth Conservative MP, representing North Okanagan-Shuswap, did not make it into the Shadow Cabinet.

For the full list, go here.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submitphotos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.