Local MP Arpan Khanna appointed to party executive

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Oxford MP Arpan Khanna has a larger role in the Conservative Party as Parliament resumes.

Khanna was sworn in Friday at the House of Commons in Ottawa for the second time. Several Tillsonburg residents were amongst the 50 Oxford residents who made the trip to watch the ceremony. Khanna was proud of the diversity of the people present, mentioning there were Legion members, union representatives, farmers and small-business people present.

“I was truly humbled and grateful they made that trip down,” he said Monday. “It’s a long trip down.”

Khanna was named national outreach chair, which made him part of the 11-member leadership team for the Conservative Party of Canada. He held this position previously, but not as part of the party executive. As national outreach chair one of his jobs will be to travel across Canada, talking to Canadians about the issues that are important to them.

The beginning of this session of the House of Commons has more prominence than normal with King Charles III reading the Throne Speech, which is usually done by the governor general.

“It always adds excitement when they do visit us,” Khanna said. “It’s the first time in 50 years a monarch has read a throne speech in Canada.”

He is excited for debate to start in the House of Commons and wants to raise the many issues he heard from the people of Oxford during the campaign and over the last two years. He said if the Liberal government brings out common sense regulations that will make life better for Canadians, the Conservatives will support it. But, if the government “continues on the same path they were on before with Justin Trudeau” that brought on crises in many sectors, Khanna said he won’t be supporting the legislation.

“We are a bit nervous because of the past,” he said.

In Haldimand-Norfolk, MP Leslyn Lewis continues in her role as Shadow Minister for Infrastructure.