Newly-elected Wynne unveils new cabinet

CityNews.ca
June 24, 2014
John Stall and Toronto staff

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne introduced her new cabinet at Queen’s Park on Tuesday afternoon.

It is considered a massive cabinet shuffle that moves several GTA MPPs into key cabinet positions.

There will be four new faces in the Wynne cabinet, including Scarborough-Guildwood MPP Mitzie Hunter, who will work on the proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan.

She becomes the associate minister of finance, while Charles Sousa retains his post as finance minister.

Hunter will work closely with the government-appointed advisory panel to set up the retirement plan, which is expected to be ready by 2017.

Vaughan MPP Steven Del Duca takes over as minister of transportation from Glen Murray. Murray moves into the role of minister of environment and climate change, replacing Jim Bradley who remains without a portfolio but becomes deputy government house leader.

Dr. Eric Hoskins takes over as health minister and long-term care, replacing Deb Matthews. Matthews was appointed president of the Treasury Board and was also made deputy premier.

Don Valley East MPP Michael Coteau becomes minister of Tourism, Sport and Culture, helping to oversee the 2015 Pan Am Games. He replaces Michael Chan, who will take over as minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and International Trade.

Brad Duguid, who had been at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, was appointed minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.

Liz Sandals remains as education minister and Bob Chiarelli remains energy minister.

Wynne and her cabinet were sworn into office at 2 p.m. in the legislature. The cabinet ministers entered their first official meeting following the ceremony.

The Liberals claimed an unexpected majority win and a fourth straight mandate in the provincial election on June 12.

They won 58 seats, the Conservatives took 28 and the New Democrats 21. At dissolution, the Liberals held 48 seats in the 107-seat legislature, the Tories 37 and the NDP 21, with one seat vacant.

David Onley tribute

After almost seven years on the job, Ontario Lt.-Gov. David Onley’s term is coming to an end, although a successor has not yet been named.

Onley, 64, stayed on for an additional two years because of the minority government situation.

A farewell tribute takes place at the BMO Institute for Learning in Scarborough at 7 p.m., and will include messages from Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward and Gov.-Gen. David Johnston. Premier Wynne is among those who will be on-hand to make a speech.

Onley is the longest-serving lieutenant-governor since Albert Matthews left the post in 1946.

With files from The Canadian Press