This is who's in and who's out of Doug Ford's cabinet
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has unveiled his cabinet for the 43rd Parliament of Ontario.
Ford has made some big changes to his front and back benches, including appointing a new Minister of Health, keeping the current education minister in place, and adding a newly-elected MPP to the Tourism, Culture and Sport file.
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This is who’s in and who’s out of the 30-person Progressive Conservative cabinet:
Sylvia Jones: Minister of Health
The former Solicitor General of Ontario will now serve as Minister of Health and replace Christine Elliott. Elliott held the post for the entirety of Ford’s first term and was at the helm of Ontario’s sometimes rocky COVID-19 response. She decided not to run in the June election.
Jones will oversee billions in planned hospital infrastructure spending and also assume the role of deputy premier.
Stephen Lecce: Minister of Education
Stephen Lecce will continue to serve as Ontario’s Minister of Education, a position he has held since June of 2019.
The King—Vaughan MPP was in the hot seat during the provincewide teachers strike in 2020 and rolling school closures due to COVID-19 the same year. There was speculation that he may be replaced.
Michael Ford: Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
Rookie MPP Michael Ford will take on the role of Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
Ford, who is the premier’s nephew, has served as a Toronto city councillor since 2016.
Neil Lumsden: Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
The first-time MPP and former CFL running back will serve as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
The hall of famer was elected to the Hamilton East—Stoney Creek riding on June 2.
The Tourism, Culture and Sport file was previously held by Lisa MaCleod, who no longer holds a cabinet position.
READ MORE: Long-time Ottawa MPP Lisa MacLeod out of Ford cabinet
Premier Doug Ford takes his oath prior to the announcement of his new cabinet at the swearing-in ceremony at Queen’s Park in Toronto on June 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Peter Bethlenfalvy: Minister of Finance
Peter Bethlenfalvy will continue to serve at the helm of Ontario's finance ministry.
He was Ford’s third finance minister in the first term, replacing Vic Fedeli and then Rod Phillips, who resigned after he vacationed in the Caribbean during a provincewide lockdown.
Bethlenfalvy tabled the province’s 2022 budget in April, which was not passed before the election but stood as their platform.
Caroline Mulroney: Minister of Transportation
Caroline Mulroney will remain as Ontario’s Minister of Transportation.
Mulroney previously served as the Attorney General of Ontario from 2018 to 2019.
Merrilee Fullerton: Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
Fullerton stays on as Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.
The Kanata—Carleton MPP formerly oversaw the long-term care portfolio during the peak of Ontario’s COVID-19 waves, which disproportionately affected seniors living in assisted-living facilities.
Fullerton was shuffled to the Children, Community and Social Services file in June of 2021 –- less than two months after a commission investigating how and why the coronavirus spread in nursing homes found the province had no plan to protect long-term care residents from the virus.
Michael Kerzner: Solicitor General
The bioscience and technology entrepreneur was elected in York Centre earlier this month and takes over the Solicitor General file from Sylvia Jones.
Graydon Smith: Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
The former mayor of Bracebridge, Ont., will serve as Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Greg Rickford had held the position previously and will stay on as Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs.
Rickford also oversaw the mining portfolio, which will now be lead by George Pirie, the former mayor of Timmins, as Minister of Mines, with a specific mandate to develop the Ring of Fire.
Other cabinet positions that remain unchanged include Monte McNaughton as labour minister, Steve Clark as municipal affairs and housing minister, Vic Fedeli as economic development minister, David Piccini as environment minister, Todd Smith as energy minister, and Doug Downey as attorney general.
The full list of Ford's executive council can be found here.
With files from The Canadian Press
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