Kerr handed parliamentary secretary portfolio

By Geoffrey Agombar

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

West Nova MP Greg Kerr is Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the appointment late last week.

In this capacity he will assist Greg Thompson, MP New Brunswick Southwest and Minister of Veterans Affairs since 2006, in his ministerial functions.

“I may occasionally be answering questions in the house. I will be aiding at the committee level and in relations with stake holders, as well as acting as an adviser to the minister,” said Kerr from his Annapolis County home Monday.

Kerr expressed satisfaction with the expanded responsibilities.

“I am pleased with the appointment, and I’m looking forward to the new challenges it represents. Given the time of year, I’ve been in contact with some veterans already, and they seem pleased, too. They’re hoping I’ll be a good contact in Ottawa.”

Kerr ousted Liberal incumbent Robert Thibault by 1594 votes October 14, after narrowly missing election by a margin of just 512 votes in 2006. He is well known to Nova Scotian electors where he served as a provincial MLA from 1978-93, holding ministerial posts in Finance, Environment, and Sport, Recreation & Tourism, but is new to federal politics.

“Obviously I’m pleased that it will allow for a little more involvement, a little more action at the departmental level,” Kerr said of his recent appointment. “I spent a lot of years as a provincial minister, so I know something about the parliamentary process. This will allow for more involvement at the committee level, and that’s important because much of the work is done in the committees.”

He said that Veterans Affairs is a unique department in that it has ramifications in all ridings across the country.

Gerald Keddy, MP for South Shore-St. Margaret's, will serve as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade under Stockwell Day, who was recently shuffled to the post after former Senator Michael Fortier failed to win a sit in October’s election.