New head of Indian Affairs

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has appointed a new head of Indian Affairs.
B.C. MP John Duncan was moved into the minister position in a mini-cabinet shuffle Aug. 6. He replaces Chuck Strahl who is now transport, infrastructure and communities minister.
The moves come after Harper appointed John Baird as Government House leader. Baird was transport minister.
Duncan is a veteran MP who served as Strahl's parliamentary secretary in the Indian Affairs portfolio.
Shawn Atleo, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, welcomed Duncan to the post.
"The cabinet changes announced today come at a unique time for First Nations and Canada, a time when we see a critical mass of support for change and innovation in the relationship between First Nations and Canada," he said.
Atleo said he is familiar with Duncan having worked with him the in the past.
"I extend an invitation for us to meet as soon as possible to begin setting out an agenda aimed at building stronger First Nations and a stronger Canada," Atleo said.
First elected as MP in 1993, Duncan has served as an opposition MP holding several senior critic portfolios such as International Trade, Natural Resources and Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
After being ousted in 2006, Duncan was re-elected in 2008 when he was made parliamentary secretary for Indian Affairs. This is his first cabinet post.
Strahl had served as Indian Affairs minister since 2007.