Ford defends decision to name nephew minister of multiculturalism
Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended his decision Monday to name his nephew minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, saying the newly elected legislator has spent years representing one of the most diverse communities in the province.
Ford was asked about the appointment in a joint news conference with Toronto Mayor John Tory - his first time taking questions since he introduced his new, 30-person cabinet last week.
The premier said his nephew Michael Ford has “extensive experience,” having previously served on Toronto city council and as a school trustee.
“I think he'll do an extremely good job,” Doug Ford said Monday. “He has a lot of knowledge and he's been an elected official probably longer than more than 60 per cent of our caucus.”
He noted the ward his nephew represented on city council, Etobicoke North, is “probably one of the most multicultural areas in the entire province.”
Tory, who worked with Michael Ford when he was on council and appointed him to the police services board during that time, described him as “thoughtful” and “hard working.”
“He does understand his community as well as anybody else, and it is one of the most multicultural communities in all of Toronto, if not all of Canada,” he said. “So give him a chance.”
The cabinet presented Friday has many ministers in the same roles they held under Ford's last government, including in key files such as housing and education.
Among the changes was the appointment of former solicitor general Sylvia Jones as deputy premier and health minister.
There were also a few new faces aside from Michael Ford, including Michael Kerzner, a bioscience and technology entrepreneur elected in York Centre named Solicitor General, and Graydon Smith, the former mayor of Bracebridge, Ont., who will serve as minister of natural resources and forestry.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Video released of person of interest after cat is allegedly set on fire in Orillia, Ont.
Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.