Diljeet Brar will serve as the critic for agriculture, as well as for sport, culture and heritage
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Manitoba’s official opposition unveiled its shadow cabinet to counter the Premier Brian Pallister’s Conservative government.
“Our new team is proud to look like Manitoba, and we plan to use every tool at our disposal to hold the Pallister government to account,” NDP Leader Wab Kinew said in a statement Friday.
“We will continue to oppose (Premier) Pallister’s health care crisis, which has caused chaos for patients and health care workers. We will fight back against his plan to make deep cuts to education, which will hurt students and teachers. And we will do our part to help solve the climate crisis while keeping life affordable for families.”
Kinew selected 17 MLAs to join him in the shadow cabinet.
He appointed Diljeet Brar, the rookie MLA for Burrows, to keep tabs on Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler. Brar replaces Ted Macelino, who lost his seat in the Tyndall Park riding.
The new ag critic grew up in India, where he earned a master’s degree in education and taught at the Agricultural University in Punjab. After arriving in Manitoba in 2014, he worked for Manitoba Agriculture as an extension coordinator in Arborg and Beausejour until 2018. He also volunteered as a 4-H Club liaison in the Interlake region.
Brar will also serve as the critic for sport, culture and heritage opposite Minister Cathy Cox’s portfolio.
Other members of Kinew’s shadow cabinet include Matt Wiebe as the critic for finance and Tom Lindsey as the critic for growth, enterprise and trade.
Farms.com has reached out to Brar for comment on his appointment as ag critic and what his priorities are for the upcoming legislative session.