He represents the B.C. riding of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A familiar NDP Member of Parliament has retained his role as the party’s agriculture critic.
Alistair MacGregor, the B.C. MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, will continue to present the party’s views opposite Liberal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau in the NDP’s shadow cabinet, party leader Jagmeet Singh announced on Oct. 29.
MacGregor, who has been the party’s ag critic since Jan. 2018, will also be the public safety critic and deputy justice critic during this session of Parliament.
He voted on 183 issues during the previous Parliament, which ran from Sept. 23, 2020 to Aug. 15, 2021.
He cast 44 votes against and 139 votes in favour of issues during the previous legislative session.
The bills he voted in favour of include Bill C-206, which would’ve exempted propane and natural gas from the federal carbon tax.
He also supported Bill C-208 to change Canadian income tax law to allow “uniform tax treatment” for the sale of a farm or fishing operation whether it’s sold to a family member or not.
He voted against back to work legislation at the Port of Montreal.
Workers went on strike in April after the Maritime Employers’ Association and the Canadian Union of Public Employees local 375 couldn’t reach an agreement.
At the time, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture estimated the strike cost ag exports over $6.5 million.
Other members of the NDP shadow cabinet include:
- Rachel Blaney (B.C. MP for North Island-Powell River) as the rural economic development critic opposite Minister Gudie Hutchings.
- Brian Masse (Ont. MP for Windsor West) as the international trade critic to counter Minister Mary Ng.
- Heather McPherson (Alta. MP for Edmonton Strathcona) as the foreign affairs critic opposite Minister Melanie Joly.
The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have also unveiled their respective shadow cabinets.
Parliament is scheduled to resume on Nov. 22