Nova Scotia NDP Leader Gary Burrill assigns new portfolios

Nova Scotia's new NDP leader has assigned new caucus positions and critic portfolios, but has yet to decide where and when he'll run for a seat in the legislature.

Gary Burrill announced the new roles onWednesday afternoon at a caucus meeting. He says the party is still discussing how he will go about getting a seat in the legislature.

In addition to his role as leader, he'll be responsible for being the critic for finance and the Treasury Board, advanced education and poverty and income inequality.

There is no allowance for compensating a leader without a seat in the Nova Scotia Legislature.Burrillsays he's now being paid asan employee of his party. He said he wouldn't disclose his salary at this time.

The critic portfolios of the six-member caucus have been shuffled around.

Caucus role changes

Maureen MacDonald, who served as the interim NDP leader for three years, will no longer have any formal caucus role.

Other changes include:

• Lenore Zann, MLA for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River,is now the caucus chair, aposition previously held by Sterling Belliveau
• Belliveau, MLA for Queens-Shelburne, is the new caucus whip,
• Denise Peterson-Rafuse, MLA for Chester-St. Margarets, who used to be the whip,is the deputy house leader
• Marian Mancini, Dartmouth South MLA, is the NDP'snewleader in the house, aposition typically held by the leader of the party but in this case Burrill doesn'thave a seat
• Dave Wilson, MLA for Sackville Cobequid, continuing as house leader