At a time when southwestern Ontario's auto industry is in crisis, Elgin-Middlesex-London Conservative MP Joe Preston finds himself with an assignment he hopes can help it recover.

This week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper named Preston a regional caucus chairman for southwestern Ontario.

Preston joins Diane Finley, MP for Haldimand-Norfolk, in key appointments by Harper this week. Finley has been appointed regional minister for southwestern Ontario.

Although Preston's appointment uses the term southwestern Ontario, he said the area he is responsible for is far more vast.

It covers everything from the Bruce Peninsula to as far east as Halton Hills, he said in an interview Thursday.

With Parliament in prorogue, Preston said his meetings with different groups within the party will concentrate on pre-budget consultations.

"I really welcome the challenge," he said, noting southwestern Ontario has the highest concentration of manufacturing in Canada.

Much of the focus will be on how to address multiple issues affecting the auto industry, he said.

Preston will be one of several regional caucus chairmen for the party across Canada preparing to take his findings to the finance minister and, eventually, the prime minister.

"I look forward to working with my fellow Members of Parliament toward finding solutions to regional issues as caucus chairman," said Preston.

Preston said his deadline to deliver information from meetings to the party in Ottawa will likely be mid-January or sooner as the government moves closer to the re-opening of Parliament.

That, he said, means working as close to Christmas as possible.