Miller shut out of Ontario cabinet by premier Ford

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

TORONTO — Parry Sound-Muskoka has been snubbed.

One of the Tories’ longest-serving MPPs has been shut out of cabinet.

Minutes ago Premier Doug Ford was sworn in and unveiled the ministers who will assist him in the top government departments.

Norm Miller, who was elected a sixth time as a Progressive Conservative, was not among them.

He was one of just over two dozen MPPs who kept the party alive during the 15 years the Liberals held government before the Tory majority in June. And he would have been a natural for the northern affairs post, with all his experience the past 17 years in the north. Greg Rickford got part of that post.

Former North Bay mayor Vic Fedeli will be the finance minister and chair of cabinet. Miller is the son of former premier Frank Miller.

But Norm Miller did not support Ford in the controversial Conservative leadership race. He backed Caroline Mulroney, who is the new attorney general; followed by Christine Elliott, the new deputy premier, and he voted for Ford third in the ranked ballot.

Ford is today joining thousands of people on the front steps of Ontario’s legislature as Ontario’s first ever Government for the People is sworn-in.

“I will never forget why I’m here: to work for the people of Ontario,” he said in a government release.

“I promised the people that I would help make our great province the best place in North America when it comes to business, creating jobs and raising a family. And I am going to keep my promise.”

The premier met with The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario to present his recommendations for appointments to Ontario’s Executive Council. 

The new government was to be sworn-in and affirmed in a public ceremony on the front steps of the Legislative Building at Queen’s Park. 

The new ministers are as follows:

Peter Bethlenfalvy – President of the Treasury Board

Raymond Cho – Minister for Seniors and Accessibility

Steve Clark – Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Christine Elliott – Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and Deputy Premier

Victor Fedeli – Minister of Finance and Chair of Cabinet

Doug Ford – Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Merrilee Fullerton – Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities

Ernie Hardeman – Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Sylvia Jones – Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

Lisa MacLeod – Minister of Children, Community and Social Services and Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues

Monte McNaughton – Minister of Infrastructure

Caroline Mulroney – Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs

Rod Phillips – Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

Greg Rickford – Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, and Minister of Indigenous Affairs

Laurie Scott – Minister of Labour

Todd Smith – Minister of Government and Consumer Services, and Government House Leader

Lisa Thompson – Minister of Education

Michael Tibollo – Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

Jim Wilson – Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

John Yakabuski – Minister of Transportation

Jeff Yurek – Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

“We have an all-star team that’s ready right now to give the people of Ontario the kind of leadership and direction they deserve,” said Ford. “For too long, the people of Ontario have worked more and paid more, but gotten less. Those days are over. Help is here.”