Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced a big shuffle today to the critics lineup on the official opposition benches. There are some very interesting new matchups, the biggest of which is the House Leaders for the two parties: The ultra-combative, lifelong political foes of John Baird and David McGuinty. It will also be interesting to watch Denis Coderre go at Christian Paradis.
Here's the new Liberal critic list which I've matched up with their opposing minister where applicable. I have put bold face on what I consider matchups that will be interesting:
| Leader | Michael Ignatieff | vs. | Stephen Harper |
| Deputy Leader | Ralph Goodale | vs. | Stephen Harper |
| House Leader | David McGuinty | vs. | John Baird |
| Deputy House Leader | Judy Foote | vs. | John Baird |
| Chief Opposition Whip | Marcel Proulx | vs. | Gordon O'Connor |
| Deputy Opposition Whip | Yasmin Ratansi | vs. | Gordon O'Connor |
| Leader of the Opposition in the Senate | Sen. James Cowan | vs. | Sen. Marjory LeBreton |
| Aboriginal Affairs | Todd Russell | vs. | John Duncan |
| Agriculture, Agri-food & Canadian Wheat Board | Wayne Easter | vs. | Gerry Ritz |
| Amateur Sport | Joyce Murray | vs. | Gary Lunn |
| Arctic Issues & Northern Development | Larry Bagnell | vs. | John Duncan |
| Canadian Heritage | Pablo Rodriguez | vs. | James Moore |
| Citizenship & Immigration | Justin Trudeau | vs. | Jason Kenney |
| Consular Affairs, Consumer Affairs | Dan McTeague | vs. | Peter Kent/Tony Clement |
| Crown Corporations | Bonnie Crombie | vs. | Various |
| Economic Development Agency for Regions of Quebec + Assoc Finance Critic | Alexandra Mendes | vs. | Denis Lebel |
| Democratic Renewal | Carolyn Bennett | vs. | Steven Fletcher |
| Environment | Gerard Kennedy | vs. | Jim Prentice |
| Finance | Scott Brison | vs. | Jim Flaherty |
| Fisheries + ACOA | Rodger Cuzner | vs. | Gail Shea |
| Foreign Affairs | Bob Rae | vs. | Lawrence Cannon |
| La Francophonie | Raymonde Folco | vs. | Josée Verner |
| Health | Ujjal Dosanjh | vs. | Leona Aglukkaq |
| Human Resources & Skills Development | Mike Savage | vs. | Diane Finley |
| Human Rights | Irwin Cotler | vs. | unassigned |
| Industry, Science & Technology | Marc Garneau | vs. | Tony Clement/Gary Goodyear |
| International Cooperation | Glen Pearson | vs. | Bev Oda |
| International Trade | Martha Hall Findlay | vs. | Peter Van Loan |
| Justice & Attorney-General | Marlene Jennings | vs. | Rob Nicholson |
| Labour | Maria Minna | vs. | Lisa Raitt |
| Multiculturalism | Rob Oliphant | vs. | Jason Kenney |
| National Defence | Dominic LeBlanc | vs. | Peter MacKay |
| National Revenue | Jean Claude d'Amours | vs. | Keith Ashfield |
| Natural Resources | Denis Coderre | vs. | Christian Paradis |
| Official Languages | Mauril Belanger | vs. | James Moore |
| Pacific Gateway + Western Economic Diversification | Sukh Dhaliwal | vs. | Stockwell Day/Lynne Yelich |
| Public Safety & National Security | Mark Holland | vs. | Vic Toews |
| Public Works & Government Services | Geoff Regan | vs. | Rona Ambrose |
| Rural Affairs | Mark Eyking | vs. | unassigned |
| Seniors and Pensions | Judy Sgro | vs. | Diane Ablonczy |
| Small Business | Navdeep Bains | vs. | Rob Moore |
| Southern Ontario Development Agency | Frank Valeriote | vs. | Gary Goodyear |
| Status of Women | Anita Neville | vs. | Rona Ambrose |
| Transport, Infrastructure & Communities | John McCallum | vs. | Chuck Strahl |
| Treasury Board | Siobhan Coady | vs. | Stockwell Day |
| Tourism | Gerry Byrne | vs. | Rob Moore |
| Veterans Affairs | Kirsty Duncan | vs. | Jean-Pierre Blackburn |
| Water | Francis Scarpallagia | unassigned |
Minor correction: That's Francis Scarpaleggia carrying the water “portfolio.”