Former teacher new Indian Affairs head

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The Department of Indian Affairs has a new chief.

Pauline Browes, MP for Scarborough Centre, has replaced Tom Siddon as Minister for Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Browes, a former school teacher, was appointed June 25 during Prime Minister Kim Campbell's first Cabinet shuffle.

Siddon, who served as head of the department for more than 40 months, is now the Minister of Defense.

Browes was first elected to office in 1984 and served as a Conservative backbencher until her appointment to the Minister of State for Environment in 1991.

She was shuffled to the position of Minister of State for Employment and Immigration in January.

Browes will spend the first few weeks reviewing her new portfolio before making any official comment about her appointment, a department spokesperson said.

The Cabinet shuffle comes as part of Campbell's mandate to "streamline" government.

The number of government departments was reduced from 31 to 13 and all Minister of State positions were abolished. The Cabinet, which will meet weekly, was also designated as the government decision-making body.

Six of 11 Cabinet committees have also been eliminated.

Neither Campbell nor Siddon could be reached for comment.