While it is not a cabinet position, a Thunder Bay MPP has been given a new ministry role.
MPP Bill Mauro (Thunder Bay – Atikokan) on Wednesday was named the parliamentary assistant for the Minister of Northern Development and Mines Rick Bartolucci.
Mauro’s main responsibility will be to work with the minister on special projects and occasionally represent the ministry during legislative debates.
It's Mauro second turn at the ministry, having spent 2003 to 2007 as a parliamentary assistant. He said he's glad to be back and looks forward to helping the region prosper.
"I think the things that people probably see as connected to this ministry or the Northern Policy Institute, the Growth Plan, the Ring of Fire, those are probably some of the things that people see that have some profile connected to that ministry," Mauro said.
"This will bring me closer to the file, but really, as a Northern member, it doesn't change your role in terms of advocacy and working for your community."
Mauro said the continued connection of the ministry to Thunder Bay -- Forestry Minister Michael Gravelle held the portfolio until the October election -- is good for Thunder Bay.
"He had four years there, and Michael's still around the cabinet table with influence in that regard. He's got a ministry that has influence with regards to Northern issues, and me in the PA role, so I think we're well represented to try to do as best as we can," Mauro said.
"At the end of the day it's a results-oriented game. I'd like to think we've done a pretty good job in that regard and hopefully this helps us to continue to bring good news to Thunder Bay-Atikokan and Thunder Bay-Superior North."
When asked if it might affect his ability to fight for a ferrachrome processing plant for Thunder Bay, when American mining giant Cliffs Natural Resources appears to be leaning toward Sudbury for the Ring of Fire project, Mauro said he doesn't see a conflict.
"I think that we can all do the best we can to entice a private-sector player locate where they're going to locate," he said.
"But at the end of the day clearly they'll choose. I think the best we can do as a government is to ensure we have the macro pieces in place that will entice them to be in Ontario. Then we do the best selling job we can to encourage them to find Thunder Bay to be the location. I don't feel restricted in my role at all, and have had meetings with Cliffs in the past ... so that won't change."
During his last term in Queen’s Park, Mauro worked with the Minister of Government Services.
