Sylvia Jones new Minister of Health, Michael Ford in cabinet

Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled his new cabinet Friday, not long after an election victory that saw his Progressive Conservatives return to power with a large majority.

The Tories won 83 out of the legislature’s 124 seats in the election earlier this month, providing Ford with dozens of potential cabinet picks.

Many of the cabinet ministers remain in the same portfolios they held during Ford’s last government, such as Stephen Lecce in education, Peter Bethlenfalvy as minister of finance, and Caroline Mulroney in transportation.

Lecce will have to begin work almost immediately on bargaining with teachers and education workers, whose contracts expire Aug. 31. The last round was contentious, in part due to legislation that capped compensation increases for public sector workers.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario said while experience matters, it’s more important to have an education minister who values the role of educators and adequately funded public education.

“Moving forward, ETFO is hoping to see a change in approach,” it said in a statement.

But several new and tweaked roles signal that some of Ford’s top priorities are housing, mining and infrastructure.

Sylvia Jones has been named Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Jones, an MPP since 2007, was previously Solicitor General and played a key role in the government’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic. Replacing Jones as Solicitor General will be Michael Kerzner, a new MPP from York Centre.

Jones takes over the largest ministry, and at a key time – the province is still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the health system, and Ford has promised billions in spending to build new hospital projects across the province.

As CityNews was first to report, Michael Ford – the Premier’s nephew – has been given a cabinet post. The newly elected MPP will be Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.

New Democrat caucus chair Jeff Burch questioned the appointment of the younger Ford to that specific role.

“There are plenty of people, people of colour in Ford’s caucus, that could take that position and he chose to appoint his nephew,” Burch said.

“As we all know, the qualifications there are dubious.”

He served as a Toronto city councillor for several years prior to the provincial election.

In a release, Premier Ford says, “With big challenges ahead, including an uncertain global economic climate, now is the time for unity and working together.”

“Our government will be relentless in delivering on our ambitious plan to grow our economy and build infrastructure as we leave no stone unturned when it comes to solving the historic labour shortage. It’s all hands on deck,” he added.

There are seven women in Ford’s cabinet, down from nine in his previous one.

STAYING BUT WITH NEW ROLES

Sylvia Jones moves from Solicitor General to become deputy premier and health minister; Parm Gill moves from citizenship and multiculturalism to become minister of red tape reduction; Kaleed Rasheed moves from associate minister of digital government to head up the newly created Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery.

OUT OF CABINET

Lisa MacLeod, formerly minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries; Ross Romano, formerly minister of government and consumer services; Nina Tangri, formerly associate minister of small business and red tape reduction.

NEW IN CABINET

Michael Ford becomes minister of citizenship and multiculturalism; Michael Kerzner becomes Solicitor General; Neil Lumsden becomes minister of tourism, culture and sport; Graydon Smith becomes minister of natural resources and forestry; George Pirie becomes minister of mines; Michael Parsa is promoted into cabinet to become associate minister of housing; Charmaine Williams becomes associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity.

Housing was a priority that Ford singled out in his speech, and Steve Clark – remaining as municipal affairs and housing minister – will have the daunting task of getting municipalities on board with policy changes, such as new zoning rules, to increase supply and meet Ford’s stated target of building 1.5 million homes in 10 years.

Ford also created a new position of associate minister of housing, promoting former backbencher Michael Parsa into cabinet to serve in the role.

Mining is another area in which Ford plans to focus, appointing a single person to oversee the file, rather than having it as part of a ministry along with northern development, natural resources and forestry. George Pirie, the former mayor of Timmins who won the seat in that city after the NDP held it for 32 years, will now be minister of mines, with a specific mandate to develop the Ring of Fire.

Ford has touted his critical minerals strategy as a way to use northern resources to be used in manufacturing electric vehicles in the southern part of the province.

Other new members in cabinet include Graydon Smith, the former mayor of Bracebridge, Ont., who will serve as minister of natural resources and forestry, and Charmaine Williams, will be Ford’s first cabinet minister from the Black community and serve in the new position of associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity.

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As well, Neil Lumsden, a former Canadian Football League player who won the longtime NDP seat of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, is named as minister of tourism, culture and sport.

He replaces Lisa MacLeod in that portfolio, who is one of only a handful of people to be dropped from cabinet.

MacLeod released a statement shortly after the cabinet was sworn in saying she was “taking a breather” from representing her Ottawa-area riding of Nepean, based on advice from her doctor.

“The last couple of years have been difficult for many people,” she wrote. “I know I am not alone in this regard. In my case, my mental and physical health and well-being has been greatly impacted…I need some time to rest and recuperate.”

MacLeod has spoked publicly in the past about challenges with her mental health. Her removal from cabinet comes after two demotions, including after she angered members of the autism community with a program overhaul they said would leave thousands of children without the supports they need.

Merrilee Fullerton will stay in the children, community and social services portfolio, which includes navigating the autism file. A handful of people from the autism community stood on the lawn of the legislature just beyond the outdoor swearing-in ceremony to protest the growing wait list for services.

Several other ministries have been tweaked, or have had mandates added. Prabmeet Sarkaria remains as Treasury Board president, but with an expanded mandate for emergency management and procurement. Kinga Surma stays on as minister of infrastructure, but with an additional mandate for government real estate.

Kaleed Rasheed is promoted from associate minister of digital government to the newly created portfolio of minister of public and business service delivery, which is intended to cover some of the work of the previous Ministry of Government and Consumer Services. That ministry has been broken up with its responsibilities divided to a few other ministries.

— With files from The Canadian Press