Rickford made INAC parliamentary secretary

Kenora MP Greg Rickford has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
The moved was announced Jan. 30 and became official Feb. 1.
Rickford had previously been the Parliamentary Secretary of Official Languages.
“(This move) is a reflection of the great work our team has done in the (Kenora) riding,” Rickford said. “We’ve caught the attention of the government … and have been able to share the voices of the First Nations leadership and membership.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy is hopeful good things could come from having a local MP working closely with INAC.
“We are hopeful that Kenora MP Greg Rickford will be a strong advocate for northern Ontario in his newly appointed position,” Beardy said. “He is familiar with the issues facing NAN communities and is aware of the need for infrastructure upgrades in the areas of transportation, telecommunications and energy. We encourage MP Rickford to keep these important matters in mind in his new role and we wish him the best of luck.”
As part of his duties with the new ministry, Rickford will be working closely with INAC Minister John Duncan.
When Duncan is unavailable, Rickford will represent the minister at events and in the house answering questions from other MPs.
He will also represent the ministry at committee.