TORONTO - Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty will shuffle his cabinet Wednesday, his office confirmed Tuesday evening, putting in place the executive team he wants to lead the Liberals into next year's provincial election.
"There will be some changes announced Wednesday," said McGuinty's press secretary Jane Almeida.
It's no surprise McGuinty wants to shake up the cabinet after a rough summer for the government, which had to retreat on highly unpopular eco fees that were slapped on thousands of products on Canada Day, the same day the equally unpopular harmonized sales tax kicked in.
There was also a damaging ombudsman's report about the Liberals' much-maligned local health networks, wide-spread criticism of a so-called secret law governing police powers during the G20 summit and a big cut in rates for solar energy projects that angered farmers.
There have also been two major policy changes for the Liberals in as many weeks, with McGuinty allowing the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. to enter into the murky world of online gambling, and his surprise decision Saturday to allow mixed martial arts fights in Ontario.
There was no confirmation Tuesday evening of just who will be added or dropped from McGuinty's executive council -- Almeida described the shuffle as "modest" -- but Environment Minister John Gerretsen was widely expected to take the fall over the eco fees fiasco.
One source suggested John Wilkinson could take over Environment after successfully handling the implementation of the 13 per cent HST as Revenue Minister.
If McGuinty does decide to bring some new blood to cabinet, former Winnipeg mayor Glenn Murray and former Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli are likely candidates.
Both veteran politicians won byelections for the Liberal government earlier this year in key urban ridings -- Murray in downtown Toronto and Chiarelli in Ottawa-West Nepean -- and were widely considered contenders for cabinet as soon as they became Liberal candidates.
Of course, with more than 70 Liberal members and only 25 cabinet chairs, plus his own, McGuinty has veterans who have served seven years on the backbenches and would like an invite to move up to the front rows.
McGuinty doesn't even have to drop any veterans just to bring new faces to the cabinet table. Some ministers currently do double duty with two portfolios that could be split into separate ministries.
Chris Bentley currently serves both as attorney general and aboriginal affairs minister, while John Milloy is minister of training, colleges and universities and minister of research and innovation.
The New Democrats said McGuinty's cabinet choices really wouldn't make much difference for the people of Ontario.
"The Premier's trying to change the channel, but all Ontarians are seeing are repeats," quipped NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.
"A new cabinet won't change the fact that after two terms Dalton McGuinty's out of touch and out of ideas."
Wednesday's cabinet meeting was moved from its usual morning slot until the afternoon, clearing the way for new ministers to be sworn in by Lt.-Gov. David Onley in the morning, although though there was no public announcement about a swearing-in ceremony.
McGuinty often informs the media about swearing in ceremonies after the ministers have taken their oaths of office in private.
