Article content

Calgary MP Kent Hehr lost his Veterans Affairs portfolio Monday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet, but his new position will be watched closely as Calgary considers a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Hehr was named the new minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, moving from the Veterans Affairs portfolio he has held since the Liberal government took office in 2015.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Calgary MP Kent Hehr happy to take on sports and disability issues in new portfolio Back to video

The appointment comes as Calgary city council continues to weigh the possibility of an Olympic bid, which would see the city seek potentially $1.2 billion in federal funding.

In an interview from Ottawa, Hehr said he has fond memories of the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, though he sidestepped a question of whether his new responsibilities for amateur sport mean the Liberal government will be friendly to a new Olympic effort by the city.

“Calgary’s Olympic bid is something that the mayor and city council are going forward on,” said the Calgary Centre MP. “I look forward to seeing where this goes.”