Pierre Poilievre has reorganized his front bench team, unveiling a revamped shadow cabinet that signals where the Conservative leader wants to train his fire as Parliament heads into its summer recess.
The changes, announced June 30 shortly after the House adjourned, represent the most significant reshuffling of Conservative critic roles since the April 2025 federal election one that left the party still trailing the Liberals under Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“This team will have three priorities: affordability, affordability, and affordability,” Poilievre declared, making no secret of where he wants the political battle drawn heading into the fall sitting.
Beyond kitchen-table economics, Poilievre said his caucus would also take up the fight on national unity and health care, while positioning the Conservatives as the opposition to tariffs, rising crime, and what he characterized as Liberal-era corruption and economic mismanagement.
The shuffle leaves the party’s senior leadership structure untouched. Melissa Lantsman and Tim Uppal remain as deputy leaders, Andrew Scheer continues as House leader alongside Luc Berthold, and Chris Warkentin holds on as chief opposition whip.
The most consequential changes are in the high-profile finance and foreign affairs critic portfolios.
Michael Chong, a familiar face on the foreign affairs file who previously held the role under former leader Erin O’Toole, is moving over to finance taking the chair from Jasraj Singh Hallan, who slides to the national revenue portfolio. Chong earned a reputation during his foreign affairs tenure as one of Ottawa’s sharpest critics of Beijing’s human rights record and foreign interference operations. He made headlines recently after travelling to Taiwan despite explicit warnings from China that Canadian parliamentarians should stay away.
Stepping into Chong’s old shoes on foreign affairs is Eric Duncan, who had previously been managing question period coordination for the Conservative benches a behind-the-scenes role that keeps the daily combat of the House running smoothly.
One of the more personal transitions in the shuffle involves the justice critic role. Larry Brock, a former crown prosecutor who built a strong profile pushing for criminal justice reform, is stepping aside from the position. In a statement, Brock cited personal reasons for the move and offered Poilievre his full backing going forward.
Poilievre, in turn, heaped praise on Brock, calling him “one of the greatest legal minds in the country.”
Taking over the justice file is Arpan Khanna, who came to politics from a background in real estate and immigration law.
The reshuffle also creates openings for some of the newer Conservative MPs who arrived on Parliament Hill after winning their first seats in 2025.
Roman Baber, a former Ontario MPP, enters the shadow cabinet as critic for civil liberties. Aaron Gunn, a B.C. MP, picks up the ethics portfolio, replacing Michael Barrett who moves to veterans affairs.
Carol Anstey of Newfoundland and Labrador takes over natural resources from Shannon Stubbs, who shifts to infrastructure. Ontario MP Sandra Cobena steps into the Treasury Board critic role, while Stephanie Kusie moves to international trade.
Meanwhile, some familiar faces stay put in their lanes. Michelle Rempel Garner keeps the immigration file, and James Bezan continues overseeing defence.
In total, 83 of the party’s 140 caucus members now hold some form of shadow cabinet role.
The shuffle arrives at a moment of some difficulty for Poilievre’s Conservatives. The party has absorbed four defections to the Liberals in recent months, and polling continues to show Carney’s government holding a comfortable advantage in public favourability a gap that has persisted well past the 2025 election.
For Poilievre, the reorganization is clearly aimed at sharpening the party’s message and elevating voices that can hold the government to account on the economic issues he believes will define the next electoral cycle.
Carney, for his part, has largely held his cabinet steady since taking office, making changes only when ministers have departed including high-profile exits like those of Chrystia Freeland and Steven Guilbeault.
