Kitchener-Waterloo has a representative at the federal cabinet table, and it seems appropriate that the rookie minister’s portfolio is small business.

Bardish Chagger, who won the Waterloo seat in the Oct. 19 election, was named the Minister for Small Business and Tourism on Wednesday.

“We recognize that small business is important and our platform promises that we made and you all know about, you'll see that we are committed to and working for Canadians for a better Canada," she was quoted by the CBC as saying.

It’s interesting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chose an MP from Kitchener-Waterloo to head the small business file. As the representative from one of the country’s leading innovation hotspots, she should have a solid understanding of the role for science and innovation in growing a new generation of Canadian businesses.

The 35-year-old Waterloo native received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo in 2004.