Prime Minister Names Parliamentary Secretaries

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced the appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries to assist Ministers with their parliamentary and portfolio responsibilities.

In addressing the challenges before the Government, the Prime Minister has decided to have some Parliamentary Secretaries continue the assignments they began during the previous mandate, while rotating the remaining assignments among other members of Caucus.

"We have an excellent and talented Caucus that is representative of every region and every walk of life in Canada," said the Prime Minister. "That has enabled us to put together a team of Parliamentary Secretaries that mirrors the breadth of Canadian society and combines fresh, new thinking with valuable, solid experience."

A list of Parliamentary Secretaries is attached. The appointments are effective immediately.

PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

Dr. Rey Pagtakhan (Winnipeg North-St. Paul)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister

Mr. Edward McWhinney, Q.C. (Vancouver Quadra)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Stan Keyes (Hamilton West)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Wayne Easter (Malpeque)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Gerry Byrne (Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. John Godfrey (Don Valley West)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Julian Reed (Halton)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade

Mr. Walt Lastewka (St. Catharines)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Ms. Claudette Bradshaw (Moncton)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation

Mr. Tony Valeri (Stoney Creek)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. John Richardson (Perth-Middlesex)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Mr. Ovid L. Jackson (Bruce-Grey)
Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board

Ms. Eleni Bakopanos (Ahuntsic)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Joseph Volpe (Eglinton-Lawrence)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Ms. Brenda K. Chamberlain (Guelph-Wellington)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour

Ms. Karen Kraft Sloan (York North)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment

Mr. Jerry Pickard (Kent-Essex)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Ms. Maria Minna (Beaches-East York)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. George Proud (Hillsborough)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Bernard Patry (Pierrefonds-Dollard)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Paul DeVillers (Simcoe North)
Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Robert Nault (Kenora-Rainy River)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Peter Adams (Peterborough)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. John Harvard (Charleswood-Assiniboine)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Ms. Sue Barnes (London West)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue

Mr. Nick Discepola (Vaudreuil-Soulanges)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Solicitor General of Canada