New duties for MPP Todd Smith

Smith helped kick off Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival celebrations this year alongside PC Leader Tim Hudak.

Two years into his job as the MPP for Prince Edward-Hastings, Todd Smith was given a new task Monday morning at Queen’s Park.

Smith had served as the Ontario PC Critic for Small Business and Red Tape, has been named the Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship and Immigration in the shadow cabinet Tim Hudak unveiled Monday. In addition he will be taking over as Chair of the Progressive Conservative Party’s Community Outreach effort with new Canadians.

“I’ve never been one to back down from big jobs. This is a tough one but I’m undaunted by the challenge Tim has given me,” Smith said. “In my first two years, we’ve accomplished a lot between electronic signatures, the industrial exception and my ongoing work fighting red tape with the Prince Edward County Winegrowers. It’s an honour that Tim felt I could handle this big role both in caucus and with the party.”

Smith has been doing the outreach circuit for more than a year for the party, attending Diwali, Chinese New Year and Visaikhi celebrations in the Greater Toronto Area.

Smith said his new role means just as much back in Prince Edward-Hastings as it does province wide.

“We have some vibrant communities of new Canadians in the Quinte area. Belleville’s Korean-Canadian community and the Sikh-Canadian community in Bancroft are both growing and as the international reputation of Loyalist College grows, more communities like this will enrich our local fabric. Whether it’s attracting international students or new families, Ontario has something to offer everybody.”