OTTAWA - Less than a week after being omitted from the NDP shadow cabinet in the House of Commons, Dennis Bevington was given two other influential roles in the official opposition.

Dennis Bevington: Western Arctic MP says concerns about his influence in the House of Commons should be alleviated by new roles. - NNSL file photo

The MP for Western Arctic will accept an appointment as critic for northern development and the nomination as vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

"No one in the House of Commons speaks out more forcefully for the development of the North, for helping families with the affordability challenges of living in Canada's most remote communities than Dennis Bevington, and I'm proud to appoint him as our champion for all things northern," said NDP leader Jack Layton in a news release to be issued on June 1.

Bevington said he is honoured to accept the positions.

"It's a stronger role for northern development than I've had in the past," the MP told News/North. "So I'm in a better position to deal with northern issues."

Bevington noted his critic's role includes CanNor, the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

While the MP has been his party's critic for northern development before, he has never sat on the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Bevington said he is "absolutely" pleased with his new roles.

"Those will serve the North very well and I'll be able to be effective in parliament with those," he said.

After Bevington was not included on the NDP's 43-member shadow cabinet announced by Layton on May 26, there were questions raised by some people in the NWT about his influence in parliament and even in his own party.

"This should alleviate their concerns in that regard," he said.

In the last parliament, Bevington was critic for transport, northern development and Arctic sovereignty.

As transport critic, the MP noted he probably did not have as much time to devote to northern development.

"My focus now will be the North and aboriginal people, as well," he said. "Those are the two major things in parliament that deal with my riding."

Bevington will be joined on the standing committee by Edmonton-Strathcona MP Linda Duncan, who was appointed to the NDP shadow cabinet as critic for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Bevington explained Duncan will be the main NDP critic on aboriginal affairs, while he will be the main critic for northern development.

"But we'll work together on everything," he said.

The standing committee has 12 members – seven Conservatives, four New Democrats and one Liberal. The members are named by the parties, but the committee members elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson.

Bevington noted the official opposition party gets to nominate a vice-chair.

The MP said, as a member of the committee's executive, he will be able to get issues on the agenda.

Standing committees can propose amendments to legislation, call witnesses on any issue related to their mandates and consider evidence, he said. "Those are powerful tools."

Bevington said one of the first issues he will raise is the food mail program.

"It's playing havoc in many of our communities," he said. "It's legislation that's not working correctly."

The MP said he doesn't think standing committees will start working much before September.