Sylvia Jones appointed Ontario's new health minister as Ford unveils cabinet
CBC
Premier Doug Ford unveiled his slightly expanded new cabinet Friday, with several top posts unchanged and Sylvia Jones stepping into the role of minister of health, one of the province's most important files.
The ministers are being sworn in at a ceremony at Queen's Park that began at 11:15 a.m. ET.
Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon, was the solicitor general in Ford's previous government. She takes over as minister of health from Christine Elliott, who did not seek re-election after serving in the role for more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Including himself, Ford's new executive council is 30 MPPs strong. His previous cabinet included 28 members.
The new cabinet includes seven women, seven people of colour and five rookie MPPs.
Several key portfolios will see the same MPPs return as ministers. The list includes Peter Bethlenfalvy at finance, Stephen Lecce at education, Caroline Mulroney at transportation, Paul Calandra at long-term care, Steve Clark at municipal affairs and housing and Doug Downey as attorney general.
One of the rookie MPPs elevated to cabinet was Michael Ford, the premier's nephew, who will be minister of citizenship and multiculturalism. Graydon Smith, who was elected in Parry Sound-Muskoka, will take over the ministry of natural resources and forestry.
Missing from the list is Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, who served in several cabinet posts in Ford's previous government, most recently as minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries. First-time MPP Neil Lumsden will step in that role.
More to come.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.