Liberal and NDP MPs lament departure of longtime Tory MP as status of women chair

Liberal and NDP MPs are lamenting the loss of the longtime Conservative chair of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women, saying they hope the change doesn't hurt their ability to work together across party lines.

Members of the committee said they were disappointed to learn that Karen Vecchio, lauded as a collaborator, would no longer be at the helm.

Vecchio was first elected as chair in 2017 and has served in the role for years.

Her time as committee chair ended Wednesday and the Conservatives on the committee voted the next day to replace her with Tory MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman.

Liberal MPs abstained from the vote but Liberal representative Pam Damoff said she was surprised by Vecchio's abrupt departure, calling her «strong, competent» and a «smart, progressive conservative woman.»

«It's a real blow,» Damoff said in a recent interview. «I think the Conservative leadership has a lot to answer for. She put her heart and soul into this committee.»

Over the last two governments, parliamentary committees have taken on an increasingly partisan tone.

Vecchio hasn't addressed the move publicly. CBC News reached out to Vecchio Thursday but has not heard back.

Changes to committee assignments are not irregular, Conservative spokesperson Sebastian Skamski said in a statement.

He described Kramp-Neuman as a «proud female common-sense Conservative,» and said she will champion «the issues facing Canadian women who have suffered after nine years of Justin Trudeau's Liberal-NDP costly coalition.»

He did not, however, address Vecchio's absence from Poilievre's list of critics. She had previously been named the party's critic in Parliament for issues pertaining to women, gender equality and youth.

During Thursday's meeting, Kramp-Neuman