Manitoba’s former education minister has been pressed into service as the new agriculture critic for the provincial legislature’s official opposition.

Wab Kinew, who was elected Saturday as the leader of the opposition New Democrats, on Thursday named James Allum, the MLA for the Winnipeg riding of Fort Garry-Riverview, as the critic for agriculture.

Allum will also continue to handle the critic files for finance and for growth, enterprise and trade in Kinew’s shadow cabinet.

Kinew on Thursday named former premier Greg Selinger, the MLA for the Winnipeg riding of St. Boniface, as deputy ag critic, as well as deputy critic for environment and climate change behind Wolseley MLA Rob Altemeyer.

Allum, first elected to the legislature in 2011, served in Selinger’s administration for two stints as minister of education and advanced learning (2013-14, 2015-16) and for a six-month period in 2014-15 as minister of justice.

Before entering provincial politics, Allum worked for the City of Winnipeg, where his last post was as manager of aboriginal initiatives in the office of the city’s chief administrative officer.

As agriculture critic, Allum replaces Mohinder Saran, the MLA for the Winnipeg riding of The Maples. Saran, who was tapped as the ag critic in May 2016, was kicked out of the NDP caucus in January and now sits as an independent. — AGCanada.com Network