Ford names new cabinet, with Jones as health minister and a role for his nephew

Stephen Lecce keeps his gig as education minister

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced his new, 30-person cabinet Friday, including former solicitor general Sylvia Jones as deputy premier and health minister, as well as a role for his nephew.

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.

Steve Clark remains as municipal affairs and housing minister, Monte McNaughton remains in labour, Doug Downey will be attorney general again, and Vic Fedeli stays in economic development.

here are some new faces in cabinet, including Ford’s nephew Michael Ford, who is named minister of citizenship and multiculturalism.

Michael Kerzner, a bioscience and technology entrepreneur elected in York Centre will be Solicitor General.

Neil Lumsden, a former Canadian Football League player who won the long-time 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.

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.

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

David Piccini remains as environment minister, and Todd Smith will stay as energy minister.

Other new faces include Graydon Smith, the former mayor of Bracebridge, Ont., who will serve as minister of natural resources and forestry. The portfolio had been held by Greg Rickford, who stays as minister of northern development and Indigenous affairs.

He had also formerly held the mining portfolio, which has now been given to George Pirie. The former mayor of Timmins won the seat in that city after the NDP held it for 32 years. A news release says he has a specific mandate to develop the Ring of Fire.

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.

Michael Parsa is promoted into cabinet to become associate minister of housing, a new position. Charmaine Williams, a new caucus member, will serve in the new position of associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity.

The new Executive Council includes the following:

  • Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
  • Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
  • Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance
  • Paul Calandra, Minister of Long-Term Care, Minister of Legislative Affairs and Government House Leader
  • Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
  • Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
  • Doug Downey, Attorney General (MPP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte)
  • Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities (MPP for Simcoe North)
  • Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, with an additional mandate for small business
  • Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
  • Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
  • Parm Gill, Minister of Red Tape Reduction
  • Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General
  • Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education
  • Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
  • Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
  • Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Francophone Affairs (MPP for York-Simcoe)
  • David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
  • Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka)
  • George Pirie, Minister of Mines, with a mandate to develop the Ring of Fire
  • Kaleed Rasheed, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery
  • Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs
  • Prabmeet Sarkaria, President of the Treasury Board, with an expanded mandate for emergency management and procurement, including Supply Ontario
  • Todd Smith, Minister of Energy
  • Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure, with an additional mandate for government real estate
  • Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Stan Cho, Associate Minister of Transportation
  • Michael Parsa, Associate Minister of Housing
  • Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
  • Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity

Banner image: Ontario Premier Doug Ford leaves a news conference in Toronto on Friday, June 3, 2022, after winning the provincial election. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2022.

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