Bernard Valcourt: New Brunswick Conservative

Valcourt Dept: Bernard Valcourt, a New Brunswick Conservative who made a political comeback in the last election, was sworn in to the aboriginal affairs ministry at a private ceremony at the Governor General s residence in Ottawa, according to Montreal Gazette. In his initial statement as minister, Valcourt said the government has already made significant progress in improving outcomes for Canada s Aboriginal People and oTTAWA Prime Minister Stephen Harper s newly minted aboriginal affairs minister enters the job at a crucial time in the government s relationship with indigenous peoples, facing substantial scrutiny and pressure to deal with the issues facing Canada s aboriginal population. Valcourt s appointment comes just one week after John Duncan s resignation from the post because of an inappropriate character reference letter he sent on behalf of a constituent to a tax court judge in 2011. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.