Wynne recasts cabinet in wake of Orazietti's departure
‘We had an opportunity to make small changes to our cabinet that will make a big difference in people’s lives,’ said Premier Kathleen Wynne, noting her cabinet is being reduced to 29 members.

TheStar.com
Jan. 12, 2017
Robert Benzie

Premier Kathleen Wynne has used the surprise resignation of a minister to recast her cabinet with a mini-shuffle.

In the wake of former community safety and corrections minister David Orazietti’s departure over Christmas, Wynne has reduced the size of her executive council by one and created a new standalone seniors’ department.

“We had an opportunity to make small changes to our cabinet that will make a big difference in people’s lives,” the premier said Thursday as the new ministers were sworn in at Queen’s Park by Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell.

Marie-France Lalonde takes over as community safety and corrections minister and will retain the francophone affairs portfolio.

Lalonde’s former duties as minister of government and consumer services will be assumed by Tracy MacCharles, who will continue to also serve as accessibility minister.

Early Years and Child Care Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris will now take over the fledgling Ministry of Women’s Issues. MacCharles had handled those responsibilities as a junior cabinet member.

Dipika Damerla, who had been minister responsible for seniors, will lead a new Ministry of Seniors Affairs, a standalone department that underscores the importance of older Ontarians to Wynne’s governing Liberals.

“Seniors, small businesses, and women each play an important role in building Ontario up,” the premier said.

“These changes will better support the work we are doing in each of these areas,” said Wynne, noting her cabinet is being reduced to 29 members.

“I know the entire team looks forward to working together in this cabinet to build opportunity and security in people’s lives.”

The changes were triggered by the unexpected Dec. 16 resignation of Orazietti, 48.

A former teacher, he was named dean of aviation, trades and technology, natural environment and business at Sault College in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie earlier this week.

Orazietti leaves to Lalonde the controversy surrounding Thunder Bay jail inmate Adam Capay, who had been kept in solitary confinement for four years until last October after being charged with killing a fellow prisoner.

As part of the fallout over Capay’s treatment, the government is hiring 239 more prison staff and retained former federal corrections investigator Howard Sapers to conduct a review of the provincial jail system.

“We all agree … that the condition of his segregation (was) unacceptable,” said Lalonde.

“We’ve already made some commitments to change those segregation (practices) and that’s why we’ve asked Mr. Sapers to review the issues that some of our inmates are facing in terms of segregation,” she said.

Mindful of past labour strife in her new ministry, the former social worker made a point of thanking “our correctional officers … for their hard work.”

“Sometimes they’re not always being thanked, so I am going do that,” she said, adding she will be visiting Ontario’s jails.

“At the same time I am going to look at those conditions (for inmates), those aspects that we need to review.”

The other shoe that will drop as a result of Orazietti’s retirement will come later this year — Wynne has until June 30 to call a byelection in Sault Ste. Marie.