Hardeman Out as Ag Minister After Cabinet Shuffle

Friday, 18 June 2021 at 13:48

Premier Ford announced a cabinet shuffle today and local MPP Ernie Hardeman has been left out of the mix.

After weeks of speculation, Premier Doug Ford has followed through with a cabinet shuffle, with the upcoming election only a year away.

Local MPP Ernie Hardeman will be leaving cabinet as part of the shuffle. He will be replaced as the Minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs by Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson's.

Rod Phillips is back in the cabinet, after he was kicked out for taking a trip over the holidays and lying about it. Phillips will replace Dr. Merilee Fullerton as the Minister of Long Term Care. Fullerton will stay in the cabinet as Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Other people who are out of cabinet include London Middlesex MPP Jeff Yurek, who was the Minister of Parks Environment, Conservation and Parks and John Yakabuski who was the Minister of Natural Resources.

Stephen Lecce will remain as the Minister of Education and Christine Elliott will continue to be the Minister of Health and Deputy Premier.

Changes to the Executive Council include the following:

• Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North, becomes Minister of Colleges and Universities.
• Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, MPP for Kanata-Carleton, becomes Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.
• Parm Gill, MPP for Milton, becomes Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
• Rod Phillips, MPP for Ajax, becomes Minister of Long-Term Care.
• Dave Piccini, MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South, becomes Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
• Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, assumes a merged role as Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, as well as remains Minister of Indigenous Affairs. This new northern and economic focused ministry will enhance development potential and sustainability in the North. Energy will transfer to a new separate ministry.
• Todd Smith, MPP for Bay of Quinte, becomes Minister of Energy.
• Rosario Romano, MPP for Sault Ste. Marie, becomes Minister of Government and Consumer Services.
• Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, MPP for Brampton South, becomes President of the Treasury Board.
• Kinga Surma, MPP for Etobicoke Centre, becomes Minister of Infrastructure.
• Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron Bruce, becomes Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
• Stan Cho, MPP for Willowdale, becomes Associate Minister of Transportation, reporting to Minister Mulroney.
• Jane McKenna, MPP for Burlington, becomes Associate Minister of Children and Women?s Issues, reporting to Minister Fullerton.
• Nina Tangri, MPP for Mississauga Streetsville, becomes Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, reporting to Minister Fedeli.
• Kaleed Rasheed, MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville, becomes Associate Minister of Digital Government, reporting to Minister Bethlenfalvy.