Northwestern Ontario will continue to have a voice within the Conservative Party’s Shadow Cabinet.

Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has released his list of critics of the government which includes Kenora MP Eric Melillo. He will continue in his post as Shadow Minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, also known as FEDNOR.

“Its very important for me and for my constituents that FEDNOR is operating efficiently and is working in the interests of all of Northern Ontario,” Mellilo says “so I’m really looking forward to continuing in that role and making sure we’re holding the government to account on it.”

Melillo was first promoted to the post by then Conservative leader Erin O’Toole in 2020, was reappointed following the 44th federal election last year.

Currently Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu serves as the Minister responsible for FEDNOR.

In addition to that role Melillo has also been tapped to serve as the Deputy Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations, the government side of which is held by Minister Mark Miller.

“Over the last three years I’ve had a number of opportunities and reasons to interact with Marc Miller, and I’ve found we’ve been able to work together collaboratively in many occasions,” he says. “I hope we’ll be able to continue that in this new role.”

Next week Melillo and his fellow Shadow Cabinet members will be meeting in Ottawa before the fall session of Parliament continues.