Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has named Peterborough-Kawartha MP Michelle Ferreri as the opposition critic for the federal minister of families, children, and social development.
Poilievre released the list of his “shadow cabinet” on Wednesday (October 12), naming 52 ministerial critics and 37 associate critics.
“I am very honoured to be appointed as Shadow Minister of Families, Children and Social Development under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre,” Ferreri said in a statement. “This is a very significant file for Canadians at all stages in their life, from early childhood to Canadians collecting EI, to seniors collecting OAS, CPP and GIS.”
Under former Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, Ferreri was the shadow minister for tourism and focused her efforts on criticizing wait times for passports as well as the federal government’s ArriveCAN app.
Ferreri said in her statement she “will work to hold the Minister to account to ensure essential services like getting a passport in a timely manner are met.”
Karina Gould is the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. Although Gould is responsible for Service Canada, which provides passports to Canadians, her primary mandate is to deliver a national early learning and child care system (including for Indigenous families). Ferreri did not mention child care in her statement.
Gould is also responsible for implementing the Community Services Recovery Fund to help charities and non-profit organizations adapt and modernize as they recover from the pandemic and implementing the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of Black-led and Black-serving organizations,
“We need a government that is not just talking and virtue signalling but acting and delivering on their mandates,” Ferreri said in her statement.
Ferreri’s appointment as shadow minister for families and children will likely raise eyebrows among her critics. In March, Ferreri came under fire after she called herself “a single mom with six children” in the House of Commons. Ferreri is mother to three teenage children from a relationship with her former spouse, and is currently in a relationship with Ryan Moore, who is father to three children from a relationship with his former spouse.
Other MPs in the greater Kawarthas region are also included in Poilievre’s shadow cabinet, although two have lesser roles than they did under former Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole.
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Jamie Schmale retains his previous role as shadow minister for Indigenous services.
Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence, previously shadow minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency for southern Ontario, is now associate shadow minister for finance and middle-class prosperity (tax reform).
Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman, previously shadow minister for seniors, is now associate shadow minister for national defence (recruitment and retention).
A full list of all the opposition critics is available on the Conservative Party website.
