Premier Ford and his cabinet were sworn in on Friday
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A familiar face is returning to the ag portfolio at Queen’s Park.
Premier Ford once again appointed Lisa Thompson, the MPP for Huron-Bruce to be Ontario’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs.
Thompson, along with the premier, make up the 30-person cabinet who will govern Ontario for the next four years.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture welcomed the cabinet and is ready to collaborate on ag issues.
“OFA would like to congratulate newly appointed and returning Cabinet Ministers,” the organization said on Twitter Friday afternoon. “We’re looking forward to working together to grow our province’s dynamic agriculture industry and unlock continued growth opportunities for Ontario’s agri-food sector.”
Like Thompson, many of the ministers in Premier Ford’s cabinet at dissolution are returning to their current portfolios.
But this cabinet will have some new faces too.
Sylvia Jones, who served as solicitor general, takes over as minister of health from Christine Elliott, who didn’t run in June’s election.
Michael Kerzner takes over for Jones as the new solicitor general.
Graydon Smith, the MPP for Parry-Sound Muskoka, is the new minister of natural resources and forestry.
George Pirie, the MPP for Timmins, is the new minister of mines.
Michael Ford, the premier’s nephew, is minister of citizenship and multiculturalism.
And two MPPs are no longer in cabinet.
Lisa MacLeod, the MPP for Nepean, is out of cabinet after serving as minister of sport, tourism and heritage.
That position now belongs to Neil Lumsden, a former CFL player, who won in the riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.
Ross Romano, the MPP for Sault Ste. Marie, previously served as minister of government and consumer services, but wasn’t selected to be in this new cabinet.
A full list of cabinet ministers can be found here.
Minister Thompson is called to the podium at 33:28 of the video.