The Ford Government
announced a major cabinet reshuffle this morning and it is obviously an attempt
to reboot and rebrand a government that has run into difficulty in terms of its
popularity – and particularly the popularity of the “Populist” Premier who obviously
did not take kindly to be booed at this week’s Raptor’s Celebration. All politicians I believe have an deep rooted need to be liked but if it becomes a dominant characteristic it can lead to bad policy.
Obviously, the Premier
has decided that the source of his current unpopularity is a function of the
actions of three ministers in particular: 1) former Finance Minister Vic Fedeli who has now
been put in the Economic Development Portfolio and replaced by former
Environment Minister Rod Phillips, 2) former Child and Social Services Minister
Lisa MacLeod who is being replaced by the former Economic Development minister
Todd Smith and 3) former education
Minister Lisa Thompson who is being replaced by a cabinet newcomer – Stephen Lecce
– on the eve of what will be contentious negotiations this summer as teacher’s
contracts expire. There are a number of other changes – such as Caroline
Mulroney moving out of the Attorney General position to Transport – and you can
get the new list here. For those of you in the Northwest, Greg
Rickford fortunately remains in charge of his portfolios.
There seem to be
several themes here. First, moving
ministers out of portfolios where there has been controversy and putting in new
faces. It remains to be seen if the idea
is to sell the same ideas with new faces or have an abrupt policy shift. Second, an increase in the number of GTA area
ministers which given the population and clout of the region is probably a wise
strategy and was an important omission the first time the cabinet was constructed. Third, an increase in the size of cabinet - from
21 to 28 – which will no doubt raise eyebrows in the Toronto area given the
early move to reduce Toronto City council from 47 to 25.
In some respects, this
cabinet shuffle probably is going to signal an end to attempts to enact major
reforms and changes designed to put Ontario’s Finances on a more sustainable
path. There is no doubt that some of the
issues that affected people in health, education and social service sector were
handled in a particularly ham-handed way but a move towards re-opening the taps
wider in order to make a populist Premier more popular is not a good thing in
the long run. However, the expansion of
cabinet is an important symbol that says there is not going to be as firm an
emphasis on reining in the deficit and debt.
Indeed, it is very disappointing
to see Vic Fedeli out of Finance given his energy level and steady hand when it
came to the operations of government.
It will be an interesting
summer.