Rona Ambrose appoints Scott Armstrong to shadow Conservative cabinet
Defeated Nova Scotia member of parliament will be paid around $60,000 by Rona Ambrose's office
A recently-defeated Conservative member of parliament from Nova Scotia has been named by Rona Ambrose to the Conservative shadow cabinet Friday.
Scott Armstrong, who represented Cumberland-Colchester until losing in October's federal election, is now critic for Atlantic Canada.
This is a first step in rebuilding after the party's region-wide shut out, Armstrong said.
Armstrong only unelected shadow cabinet member
"Even though we have no members — it was all government members elected — Atlantic Canadians are still going to have an opportunity to challenge the government when the government needs to be challenged," Armstrong told CBC News.
After serving two terms in the riding, he was defeated by Liberal Bill Casey, who was previously a member of the Conservative Party himself.
Armstrong also has been appointed the critic for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, which does not have its own government cabinet minister.
This makes Armstrong the only unelected person named to the shadow cabinet.
Armstrong positioning for comeback
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose will pay Armstrong around $60,000 per year as a staff member in her office. That is around a $100,000 drop from his pay as an MP.
Armstrong will be based in Nova Scotia and speak for the Conservatives in the media — positioning himself for a comeback run.
"That's fair. I really enjoyed being an MP. I worked hard. I thought I did a good job, despite the results," Armstrong said. "I still think the Conservative party can resonate in Atlantic Canada."
In appointing Armstrong, Ambrose by-passed Conservative senators from the region. Armstrong said his appointment will help the party rebuild.
"I think that message starts this week, with the leader making sure she is sending a message to Atlantic Canadians that they matter," Armstrong said.
Not the first time
This is not the first time an unelected person has been appointed to a position normally held by a member of parliament.
In 1997, the federal Liberal party lost all 11 seats in Nova Scotia. Liberal Senator Al Graham was put in the Jean Chrétien cabinet as regional minister for the province.
As the dispenser of federal money, Graham had more clout than Scott Armstrong will today. Armstrong is critic of an agency — ACOA — that no longer has its own cabinet minister.
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