Ford says experienced team (all listed below) will deliver on historic mandate from the people to protect Ontario’s economy and workers
A News Release from the Office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford with a commentary by Niagara At Large reporter/publisher Doug Draper
Posted March 20th, 2025 on Niagara At Large
(A Brief Foreword Commentary by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – Wasn’t there a time when political parties that called themselves Conservative believed in reducing the size and cost of government for taxpayers?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford governs again with one of the largest cabinet’s in the province’s history – a cabinet significantly larger than the one recently sworn in under Prime Minister Mark Carney to govern the whole country.
Yet here Ontario’s Conservative Premier Doug Ford goes again – swearing in one of the largest, if not the largest cabinets in the province’s history with a total of 37 members including himself.
Keep in mind that most, if not all cabinet members need an office and astaff and one of those special cars to be chauffeured around in, all at a total cost of many millions of dollars to the taxpayers of Ontario. But then, having that many party members enjoying the perks of holding a cabinet job is certainly one way of buying Ford party loyalty, isn’t it.
As you go through the list below, ask yourself how many of these cabinet positions scream out duplication and could easily be combined or eliminated completely.
Also ask why Ford needs a cabinet of 37 to run one province when Prime Minister Mark Carney is governing a whole country with a cabinet of 24 members, including himself.
Conservatives like to talk about reducing the size of government to save taxpayers money, but this cabinet room at Queen’s Park is about to host one of the largest number of cabinet ministers in Ontario history under Ontario’s Conservative government Premier Doug Ford
Finally, let’s not forget that this is the same Ford government that has been reviewing the size of governance in Niagara and other municipalities across Ontario because, they argue, at least some of regions across the province are represented by too many council members.
Shouldn’t that same thinking apply to the size of the provincial cabinet?
Come on all of you small “c” conservatives out there who have been ranting for years about too many politicians at the municipal level. Let’s hear a bit noise about the size of Ford’s cabinet now.
More on this later. And now, here is the Premier’s news release.)
TORONTO, Ontario — This March 19th, Premier Doug Ford unveiled his cabinet with an experienced team that will deliver on the government’s mandate to do whatever is necessary to protect Ontario in the face of tariffs from the United States, while building a stronger, more competitive and resilient economy.
“As Ontario faces one of the greatest challenges in our history, workers and families are counting on us to stand up for their jobs and wellbeing,” said Premier Doug Ford.
“Our government will double down on our plan to build, train and reskill workers for better jobs and bigger paycheques, tear down internal trade barriers, retool companies for new customers in new markets, attract more investments and cut through red tape to develop our vast natural resources, including critical minerals in the Ring of Fire. No matter what, we will protect Ontario.”
Ontario’s new Executive Council is as follows:
- * Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
- * Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
- * Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
- * Doug Downey, Attorney General
- * Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services
- * Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
- * Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
- * Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- * Paul Calandra, Minister of Education
- * Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response
- * Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines
- * Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
- * Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance
- * Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation and the Minister Responsible for Ring of Fire Economic and Community Partnerships
- * Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure
- * David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
- * Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care
- * Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- * Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources
- * George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth
- * Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery andProcurement
- * Andrea Khanjin, Minister of Red Tape Reduction
- * Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs
- * Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility
- * Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General
- * Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport
- * Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming
- * Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation
- * Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Francophone Affairs
- * Michael Tibollo, Associate Attorney General, as part of the Ministry of theAttorney General
- * Zee Hamid, Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform, as part of the Ministry of the Solicitor General
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Niagara West Conservative MPP Sam Oosterhoff (left) seen here in a file photo with Premier Doug Ford. is sworn in to cabinet again as Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, as part of the Ministry of Energy and Mines
* Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, as part of the Ministry of Energy and Mines
- * Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products, as part of the Ministry of Natural Resources
- * Graydon Smith, Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as part of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- * Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, as part of the Ministry of Health
- * Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business, as part of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
- * Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity, as part of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services
To effectively deliver on its plan to protect Ontario, the government is also making changes to certain ministries’ areas of authority and responsibilities:
- * The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks will now have responsibility over conservation authorities
- * The Minister of Energy and Mines and the Associate Minister of Energy Intensive Industries will now have responsibility over broadband expansion and connectivity
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