Wynne to name Sousa finance minister: reports

Charles Sousa will replace outgoing Ontario finance minister Dwight Duncan when Premier-designate Kathleen Wynne announces her new cabinet, sources told The Canadian Press

The former banker and Misssisauga South MPP ran against Wynne in the Liberal leadership race but dropped out after the second ballot. He then put his support behind Wynne.

“Sousa shrewdly sort of positioned himself for that (portfolio), and he really raised his profile in this leadership race,” said Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto.

Sousa, a 54-year-old married father of three, owned a company that offered financial services to small businesses before embarking on a 20-year executive career with RBC Financial Group.

He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. Along the way he’s held posts as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games and Minister of Labour.

Sources also confirmed that former school board trustee Liz Sandals will become Ontario’s education minister and former Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli will replace Chris Bentley as energy minister.

Wynne will officially be sworn in as Premier on Monday afternoon at Queen’s Park.  She plans to have the Ontario Legislature resume on Feb. 19.

– With files from Michael Talbot, The Canadian Press and 680News

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