Editing Rob Nicholson (section)

=== Return to Opposition in 38th Parliament ===
The Progressive Conservatives merged with the [[Canadian Alliance]] as the [[Conservative Party of Canada]] in early 2004, and Nicholson joined the new party. He was narrowly returned to parliament in the [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004 election]], defeating Liberal Victor Pietrangelo by more than 1,000 votes.

Nicholson served as Shadow Transportation Critic from July 2004 to January 2005. He was appointed Chief Opposition [[Whip (politics)|Whip]] on January 28, 2005.<ref name="Robnicholsonmp"/>

During the [[38th Canadian Parliament]], he was one of only two members of the 99-member Conservative caucus in the Commons who had previously served in the federal cabinet.