Doug Ford unveils new cabinet with nephew Michael Ford at citizenship and multiculturalism and Sylvia Jones as health minister
Out with the old and in with the new.
Fresh from his June 2 re-election, Premier Doug Ford has revamped his cabinet, promoting six newly elected MPPs - including his 28-year-old nephew Michael Ford, now minister of citizenship and multiculturalism - and dumping two veteran ministers.
Ford also elevated the MPP who helmed Ontario's COVID-19 vaccination effort, which has seen more than 90 per cent of those eligible get at least one shot, to be health minister.
Sylvia Jones, the former solicitor general, succeeds the retired Christine Elliott at the Ministry of Health, which consumes almost half of provincial program spending.
While Jones will also serve as deputy premier, there are only seven women in the 30-member cabinet - down from nine in the previous 28-person cabinet.
Those removed from cabinet were Lisa MacLeod, former tourism minister, and Ross Romano, who was consumer and government services minister.
As first reported by the Star late Thursday, Nina Tangri, who had been associate minister of small business and red tape reduction, told Ford she no longer wanted to be in his cabinet because she plans to run for speaker of the legislature.
It's all hands on deck," the premier told invited guests Friday on the front steps of the Ontario legislature.
With big challenges ahead, including an uncertain global economic climate, now is the time for unity and working together," he said, vowing to be relentless in delivering on our ambitious plan to grow our economy and build infrastructure."
Jones' replacement at the Ministry of the Solicitor General is Michael Kerzner, a new MPP elected three weeks ago in York Centre.
Michael Ford, a former Toronto city councillor and trustee, won in York-South Weston, knocking out the NDP incumbent Faisal Hassan.
He was elected to the Toronto District School Board in 2014 and well-regarded by fellow trustees for his progressive views, and at the time was the youngest trustee on the board.
The son of Kathy Ford, the premier's sister, he had been a city councillor since 2016.
Other rookie MPPs immediately going into cabinet were: Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Neil Lumsden, a Canadian Football League legend; Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Graydon Smith, the former Bracebridge mayor; Mines Minister George Pirie, a former mining executive and Timmins mayor; and Associate Minister of Women's Social and Economic Opportunity Charmaine Williams, a former Brampton councillor.
The other first-time minister is Associate Housing Minister Michael Parsa, who was elected in 2018.
Those staying put include Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, Education Minister Stephen Lecce, Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney, Attorney General Doug Downey, Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark, Treasury Board President Prabmeet Sarkaria, Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli, Labour Minister Monte McNaughton, Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop, and Government House Leader and Long-term Care Minister Paul Calandra.
If Tangri succeeds Ted Arnott, who has been the legislature's referee for the past four years, she would be the first woman to serve as speaker in the history of Ontario.
Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie
Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @krushowy
Rob Ferguson is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @robferguson1