FROM INSIDE QUEEN'S PARK

by G.P. Murray Research Ltd

Today’s much anticipated cabinet shuffle by Premier Dalton McGuinty contains some significant changes but is less radical as generally expected. In particular, the vast majority of the previous cabinet remains in place.

Former Education minister Kathleen Wynne has been switched to Transportation, which could helpfully extend her range and experience in a future leadership race. Former Aboriginal Affairs minister Brad Duguid receives the most striking promotion – to handle Energy & Infrastructure, and Leona Dombrowsky assumes the front rank portfolio of Education. Dwight Duncan remains at Finance and Deb Matthews retains Health while Attorney General Chris Bentley also takes on the Aboriginal portfolio.

Including the Premier, there are 26 ministers seated at the cabinet table. Thirteen ministers (50%) retain their previous positions without change. Another nine continuing members of the cabinet, including McGuinty, have new or different portfolio responsibilities. Thus 22 (85%) of the total have familiar faces, while only four backbenchers were promoted to cabinet.  The cabinet shuffle was completed by dropping three ministers.

Added to cabinet are Sofia Aggelonitis (Consumer Services), Eric Hoskins (Citizenship & Immigration), Linda Jeffrey (Natural Resources) and Carol Mitchell (Agriculture). The overall size of the cabinet stays the same, at 26.

Dropped from cabinet are Donna Cansfield (Natural Resources), Aileen Carroll (Culture) and Ted McMeekin (Consumer Services).

The number of women in cabinet has increased modestly from 10 to 11.

In the previous cabinet (including Jim Watson), 13 of 26 ministers (50%) were from the ‘class of 2003’, i.e. MPPs elected for the first time when the McGuinty LIBs defeated the Eves PCs to win their majority government. Ten of the former cabinet’s members were initially elected prior to 2003, including the Premier, the only new LIB to win a seat in 1990. And the remaining three ministers were elected since 2003.

In the shuffled cabinet, the domination of the ‘class of 2003’ has been maintained with 12 of 26 (46%) ministers. There are 10 who were initially elected prior to 2003, including the Premier, and the number elected since 2003 edges up from three to four.

Listed below is the full list of the new cabinet organized by Ministry and Minister.

                             EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 

                             (alphabetical by Ministry)

Premier                                                            Dalton McGuinty

Aboriginal Affairs                                              Chris Bentley

Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs                      Carol Mitchell

Attorney General                                               Chris Bentley

Children & Youth Service                                  Laurel Broten

Citizenship & Immigration                                Eric Hoskins

Community Safety & Correctional Services        Rick Bartolucci

Community & Social Services                            Madeleine Meilleur

Consumer Services                                            Sofia Aggelonitis

Disabilities                                                        Madeleine Meilleur

Economic Development & Trade                         Sandra Pupatello

Education                                                          Leona Dombrowsky

Energy & Infrastructure                                    Brad Duguid

Environment                                                     John Gerretsen

Finance                                                             Dwight Duncan

Francophone Affairs                                          Madeleine Meilleur

Government House Leader                                 Monique Smith

Government Services                                         Harinder Takhar

Health & Long-Term Care                                 Deb Matthews

Health Promotion                                              Margarett Best

Intergovernmental Affairs                                  Monique Smith

Labour                                                              Peter Fonseca

Management Board of Cabinet                           Dwight Duncan

Municipal Affairs & Housing                             Jim Bradley    

Natural Resources                                             Linda Jeffrey

Northern Development, Mines & Forestry          Mike Gravelle

Research & Innovation                                      John Milloy

Revenue                                                            John Wilkinson

Seniors                                                              Gerry Phillips

Tourism & Culture                                            Michael Chan

Training, Colleges & Universities                      John Milloy

Transportation                                                  Kathleen Wynne

Women’s Issues                                                 Laurel Broten