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Blaney appointed as deputy critic for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services

The North Island-Powell River MP is also Critic for Veterans and party Whip
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North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney has added Deputy Critic for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services to her portfolio. (Mike Davies/Campbell River Mirror photo)

North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney has been appointed Deputy Critic for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services for the federal NDP party.

In this role she will work with Jagmeet Singh, party leader and Critic for Crown-Indigenous Relations, to keep tabs on the Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, and the Minister for Indigenous Services, Marc Miller.

The Conservative Party of Canada is the official opposition, where Cathy McLeod is the Critic for Crown-Indigenous Relations, and Gary Vidal is the Critic for Indigenous Services.

As the party with the third largest representation in parliament, the NDP has an unofficial shadow cabinet.

Blaney will remain the Critic for Veterans as well as the party Whip.

“I am excited and grateful to be able to work closely with Indigenous communities throughout Canada and to fight to make their voices heard,” said Blaney in a release.

“Especially with a minority parliament, committees are where a lot of important work can get done to make government services more responsive to people. I am confident that I will be able to make an impact in this role and uphold Indigenous rights.”

Blaney has served as MP for the North Island-Powell River riding since 2015. She has a close connection with Indigenous relations, having been adopted by a Stellat’en First Nation family in Terrace at the age of three, though she is not biologically related. Her husband, Darren Blaney, is the chief councillor of the Homalco First Nation in Campbell River.

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North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in 2019. (Mike Davies/Campbell River Mirror photo)