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By Bryan Tait

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper has a new cabinet, and there were some surprises, but one New Brunswick MP said the appointments would be beneficial to his riding.

Local MP Mike Allen said he was, overall, quite pleased with the appointments made to Harper's new cabinet.

"I look at it from the perspective of who the people I'm going to have to interact with the most as being the ones I look out for," Allen said.

Allen said Gerry Ritz returning to Agriculture would be beneficial to his constituents.

"I've been working on a number of files with him," Allen said, "some pretty critical ones, so I'm glad I'm not going to have to plough all that ground again."

Allen said he wasn't sure about the new minister of Natural Resources, Lisa Raitt.

"She's quite a dynamic lady," Allen said. "But I don't know her, so that'll be one of the first people I'll want to get to know."

Allen said Natural Resources will have a pretty significant impact on his riding, covering not only the forestry sector, but mining as well.

Allen also applauded the appointment of Jim Prentice to the Environment portfolio.

"I think it'll be quite a different approach than with the previous Minister (John) Baird," he said, jokingly referring to Baird as a "pugilist."

"At the time, maybe that was something that needed to happen," Allen said, but he feels it could be a move meant to help the relationship between Canada's government and the recently elected U.S. government, led by president-elect Barack Obama.

"I think that puts a different face on the government with the newness of that going with the newness of the government that's elected in the U.S. as well," Allen said, mentioning some of the key positions like Tony Clement in industry and Lawrence Cannon in foreign affairs.

"We've got some real calm, steady people."

Allen said he was happy to see B.C. MP James Moore elevated to minister of Heritage and Jason Kenney moving to the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.

"I've worked together with him (Moore) on a few things and he's done a great job," he said.

Allen said he was surprised at some of the appointments the prime minister made.

"I think the minister of Health is probably one of the biggest ones," he said. "I don't know Leona (Aglukkaq) at all."

Allen said he knew Aglukkaq, who is the MP for Nunavut, had experience with the health portfolio in Nunavut.

"But it is quite a big jump from that to the national health portfolio."

Aglukkaq joins Raitt and P.E.I. MP Gail Shea, who was appointed to head the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as new MPs in some major portfolios.

As far as New Brunswick's representation at the cabinet table, Allen said it's a good thing to have Fredericton MP Keith Ashfield join Greg Thompson, giving the province two voices at the table. Ashfield was appointed minister of state for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

"It's good to be recognized," Allen said, referring to the increased number of Conservative MPs elected in New Brunswick. "It gives us another seat at the bigger cabinet table."

Allen said it was disappointing to not be offered a position, but he looks at the bright side of the decision.

"The positive side of that is I get a chance to focus on the riding," he said. "It gives me a chance to focus on the things that have made us successful so far."

Allen said he'll be able to fight for the things he promised in the campaign, like business development.

Parliamentary secretaries were announced Friday, and Allen was also passed over for any of those positions. Fundy-Royal MP Rob Moore will be returning to his position as Parliamentary Secretary to Justice Minister Rob Nicholson.