File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters / Michael Reeve

Shadow Cabinet

Kamloops MPs Caputo, Arnold tapped for shadow cabinet spots

May 21, 2025 | 1:53 PM

KAMLOOPS — Newly re-elected Kamloops MP Frank Caputo has landed a high-profile spot in the opposition shadow cabinet.

Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre announced his critic portfolios Wednesday (May 21).

Caputo, elected last month in the newly created riding of Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola, will be Poilievre’s Shadow Minister for Public Safety, watching over Minister Gary Anandasangaree’s portfolio.

Before he ran for office, Caputo was a Crown prosecutor in Kamloops. Speaking to CFJC Today from his office in Ottawa Wednesday, Caputo says he feels public safety is a natural fit.

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“What we’ve seen on bail is we have seen a number of court decisions that have interpreted the laws that we have, the laws that parliament has passed,” he said, “and rather than address that, parliament has sat on its hands largely. [The Liberal government] created Bill C48 on bail, but it went about one-tenth as far as it needed to go. I was prepared, obviously, to support that one-tenth — but what about the other 90 per cent? These are the types of things where I think the Liberal government really has to take accountability. The police chiefs, even NDP premiers are begging for bail reform.”

Caputo will be sworn in on Thursday in the House of Commons, the same hall where he will soon sit opposite Anandasangaree, a man Caputo says he has a good working relationship with despite a difference of opinion on some topics.

“I’m really hopeful the minister will listen. I have probably four or five small things I think can make a huge impact. It’s up to the minister and his office whether they will listen but I will certainly offer those things. At the end of the day, it’s not really about making a headline, it’s about safer streets, making our borders more secure, making our jails safer for the correctional officers who have to go to work there. That is what we have to work toward,” said Caputo.

Several other B.C. Interior MPs will also hold critic roles in the official opposition.

Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies MP Mel Arnold has been named Associate Shadow Minister for Fisheries. Arnold held a similar role under Poilievre in the previous sitting. Joanne Thompson is the fisheries minister under Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna MP Dan Albas will serve as Shadow Minister of Transport, a critic for Chrystia Freeland’s portfolio.

Todd Doherty, re-elected as MP for Cariboo-Prince George, has been named Shadow Minister for Addictions. Under Carney, addictions is the purview of Health Minister Kamal Khera.

Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford MP Brad Vis was chosen for the small business portfolio.