QUEEN’S PARK – POLITICS – Ontario Premier Doug Ford revealed his new cabinet today.
“With big challenges ahead, including an uncertain global economic climate, now is the time for unity and working together,” said Premier Ford. “Our government will be relentless in delivering on our ambitious plan to grow our economy and build infrastructure as we leave no stone unturned when it comes to solving the historic labour shortage. It’s all hands on deck.”
The new Executive Council includes the following:
- Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
- Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
- Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance
- Paul Calandra, Minister of Long-Term Care, Minister of Legislative Affairs and Government House Leader
- Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
- Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- Doug Downey, Attorney General
- Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities
- Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, with an additional mandate for small business
- Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
- Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
- Parm Gill, Minister of Red Tape Reduction
- Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General
- Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education
- Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
- Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
- Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Francophone Affairs
- David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
- Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
- George Pirie, Minister of Mines, with a mandate to develop the Ring of Fire
- Kaleed Rasheed, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery
- Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs
- Prabmeet Sarkaria, President of the Treasury Board, with an expanded mandate for emergency management and procurement, including Supply Ontario
- Todd Smith, Minister of Energy
- Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure, with an additional mandate for government real estate
- Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Stan Cho, Associate Minister of Transportation
- Michael Parsa, Associate Minister of Housing
- Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
- Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity
New Democrats Not Impressed
“The bottom line for people is that it doesn’t matter who is in Ford’s cabinet if the government isn’t on people’s side. We are calling on Ford to direct this cabinet to stop the cuts and start solving the problems that we’re all facing,” said NDP MPP Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre).
“Health care is in crisis, and we need to invest to end the long waits. Our kids need more support and smaller class sizes to recover after a couple of really tough years. And working folks need higher wages and more financial relief.”
The NDP wants to put people first. The Official Opposition is calling on the cabinet to table a new budget that stops the $2.7 billion in cuts currently in Ford’s plan. The NDP wants a budget that invests in hiring tens of thousands of health care workers, makes class sizes smaller and scraps Bill 124 so people can afford the painful costs of inflation, among other changes.