FEDERAL NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Saturday announced Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby) and Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River) have been appointed to the positions of NDP House Leader and Whip, respectively.
“Peter is among the most experienced and committed caucus members we have, and Rachel has earned the respect of people in and out of our caucus,” said Singh. “I will be relying on both of them in these important leadership roles as New Democrats work to deliver for Canadians in this minority parliament.”
This appointment marks the fifth time Julian has acted as the NDP House Leader in Parliament.
“I’m honoured to be trusted with this key role in a minority parliament,” said Julian. “We will stand up for fairness and affordability while pressing the Liberal government for a bold, realistic plan to fight the climate crisis.”
Blaney, who served as Deputy Whip in the previous parliament, says she is eager to take on the important role and looks forward to working with her colleagues for all Canadians.
“Helping to keep our caucus focused in and out of the House of Commons and pushing to make sure we’re getting results for all Canadians is something I take very seriously,” said Blaney. “By working together, we can force the government to not serve the rich and powerful but actually help us tackle big issues like the climate crisis and keep people healthy with universal pharmacare for all.”
Singh made the announcement while speaking at the BC NDP convention in Victoria, noting the strength of the NDP team in British Columbia and the example that John Horgan’s government is showing of what can happen when a government genuinely puts people first.
Other members of the NDP Shadow Cabinet will be announced in the coming days.