Bill Mauro hopes his 10 years as an MPP will be acknowledged when premier-designate Kathleen Wynne announces her new cabinet Monday.
Mauro (Lib., Thunder Bay-Atikokan) said he didn’t want to speculate on what might happen, but admitted he is looking forward to Monday.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said, noting he had a 45 minute meeting with Wynne last week where he reminded her there is still an opportunity to have three northern MPPs in the cabinet now that Minister of Northern Development and Mines Rick Bartolucci (Lib., Sudbury) announced he would not seek re-election on Thursday.
Bartolucci said he also has withdrawn his name for a possible position within Wynne’s cabinet.
Mauro said he remembers coming in as a new MPP in 2003 with Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti. The two understood at the time there were seniority issues and personal relationships had been formed between long-serving MPPs.
“It’s a tough call for the premier who has to balance a lot of different issues,” Mauro said. “We understood and respected that.”
“Now it’s a different time and we’ve got a new premier. Obviously we’re hoping there will be some acknowledgement that some time has passed and a bit of a different perspective will be brought to bear.”
Minister of Natural Resources Michael Gravelle (Lib., Thunder Bay-Superior North) said now that Bartolucci has stepped down, Wynne’s selections will be interesting to see next week.
And while he doesn’t want to advise the premier-designate on what she should do, he says there are three capable members in the north in himself, Mauro and Orazietti.
“I would love to see as strong representation as possible from the new premier,” Gravelle said. “She certainly has given every indication since she was elected that Northern Ontario will be a real priority.”
“The stronger representation we have, the better it’s going to be for the North.”
Gravelle, who has been MPP since 1995, believes Wynne is giving real consideration to everyone and said he will take on any role the premier asks him to.
“I feel the energy and commitment to carry on. I hope I’m given an opportunity to be part of the government as well. We’ll have to wait and see,” he said.
The new cabinet will be sworn in Monday in the late afternoon.
