Canada’s Inuit used to have a traditional remedy for aging that involved putting the elderly on ice flows and waving goodbye. The Ontario Cabinet showed us the modern approach the other day—some of the seniors in the cabinet were told to quit so that the premier could bring in younger talent. Not all went quietly into the night.
Whether the new and enlarged cabinet is much younger is a mute point. The same old, same old are still in charge. The slightly younger and larger cabinet had to get three more chairs for its game of musical chairs.
The four obviously reluctant retirees took different actions. Long-serving Jim Bradley was demoted to caucus but will serve as government whip. Madelaine Meilleur, the former less than successful attorney general, left cabinet and caucus in a huff. Former Municipal Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin and former Seniors Affairs Minister Mario Sergio are staying in caucus for the time being so that the Liberals will not be faced with too many by-elections.
Despite some people thinking it was his reward for winning Sudbury for the Liberals, Glen Thibeault will find the energy portfolio is no bed of roses. There will be ongoing repercussions on the sell-off of Hydro One. And who would want to be continually apologizing for rising electricity costs?
But the real concerns of this so-called cabinet shake-up are the changes that did not happen. Charles Sousa could have been rescued from finance but he was left to bumble along. With a banker such as Ed Clark telling banker Sousa what to do, you can be sure there will be nothing innovative out of that Ministry.
While many thought Environment Minister Glen Murray should have been moved, the premier is still indebted to him for securing her job for her. We can all have the fun of watching him as the loose cannon of cabinet.
There were no surprises in the premier’s friend Liz Sandals sideways move to the safer job on treasury board. Nor was anyone surprised that Health Minister Eric Hoskins gets to complete the tasks he set for himself in health.
And nobody doubts the continued influence of Deputy Premier Deb Matthews in the newly named Training, Colleges and Universities portfolio.
If they had any serious opposition, you would worry about the future of this Liberal government.
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Copyright 2016 © Peter Lowry
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