Manitoba MP Daniel Blaikie was elected as the NDP’s caucus chair Tuesday afternoon, replacing Ruth Ellen Brosseau as the House returns next week.

Blaikie, the brother of former party president Rebecca Blaikie and the son of former MP Bill Blaikie, narrowly defeated Conservative incumbent Lawrence Toet in the 2015 federal election and has been serving as Treasury Board critic.

He takes over from Ruth Ellen Brosseau, who filled in for Charlie Angus when Angus stepped down as caucus chair in late November to explore a leadership run.

Earlier Tuesday, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair spoke to caucus ahead of two days of strategy discussions, focusing his remarks on NAFTA renegotiations, the Keystone XL pipeline, health care, Liberal ethics and electoral reform.

“When it comes to making every vote count, the excellent — and extensive — work by committee established a path toward proportional representation,” Mulcair said in prepared remarks.

“Even though all the experts have dismissed ranked ballot as a system that would only benefit the Liberals, Trudeau is sending signals that that would be the only alternative system he would consider.”

Meanwhile, even as Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley applauded Donald Trump’s signing of an executive order Tuesday allowing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, Mulcair continued to oppose it.

“On Keystone, it’s not clear why Justin Trudeau is pushing to revive a pipeline that will export Canadian jobs and has not been properly reviewed,” he said.