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Bevington left out of NDP shadow cabinet Western Arctic MP expects to be given another rolePaul Bickford Northern News Services Published Monday, May 30, 2011
However, Bevington and Layton's office are suggesting some other role will soon be announced for the Western Arctic MP. "I've been given some assurances that there's some things there for me (this) week," Bevington said, adding he has not been told what exactly that might be. The MP for the NWT noted that, as the official opposition, New Democrats will be chairs of some committees and vice-chairs of most committees. "There may be areas where I'll be a critic in one thing or the other," he said from his home in Fort Smith late last week. "There could be something on Northern issues." In the last parliament, Bevington was the critic for transport, northern development and Arctic sovereignty. Including Layton, the new NDP shadow cabinet contains 43 members. Karl Belanger, a spokesperson for Layton, said the NDP leader will have announcements to make about caucus members who did not make it into the shadow cabinet. "There are other roles that Members of Parliament have to fill within these walls and Mr. Bevington is an esteemed member of the NDP caucus, and Mr. Layton will have more to say about his role in the coming days," Belanger said from Ottawa. Bevington said he wasn't surprised by not being named to the shadow cabinet, as Layton has 103 MPs and 60 per cent of them are from Quebec. Asked whether he was disappointed not to be named to the shadow cabinet, Bevington responded, "I suppose that everybody always wants to get everything they can." However, he added that, in a way, he'll be able to focus more of his energy on Northern issues, such as devolution and the Mackenzie Valley highway as a member of the official opposition. The position of critic for aboriginal affairs and northern development, which some might consider a good fit for Bevington as the only Northern member of the NDP caucus, went to Edmonton-Strathcona MP Linda Duncan, the only New Democrat elected in Alberta. "I've worked with Miss Duncan on and off for 30 years," Bevington said. "We have a very close relationship. I'm sure that this will be something that will continue in the next parliament."
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