There is no doubt Bill Mauro wanted a seat in Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet.
“I think if you’re doing this work, you should want to be in cabinet,” said the Liberal MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan.
At the start of his third term, Mauro was passed over again for a seat as McGuinty officially announced the new Liberal cabinet Thursday afternoon.
The premier not only chose to reduce his cabinet from 28 to 22 ministers, but also decided to go with experience as no first-time MPPs were given a portfolio position.
“I really do believe that two factors have worked against me and others who would have been first time selections this time,” said Mauro.
“That being the fact that he’s reduced it by five or six spots and the fact that we’re in a minority situation.”
“I think the minority situation has led him to choose people who were there before given there’s the potential for this to be a shorter term, where we may find ourselves again in an election depending on what the opposition chooses to do,” Mauro added.
Northwestern Ontario will still be represented in cabinet with Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle trading northern development and mines for natural resources, and also retaining the forestry post.
Gravelle is excited for his new responsibilities and ready to get down to work.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources is certainly an important ministry, particularly for northerners,” he said. “The fact we’re taking forestry with us allows us to move forward in terms of our goals to seek more jobs and prosperity in the province and certainly in Northern Ontario.”
The northern development and mines post is now Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci's. Gravelle said he’s set to work closely with Bartolucci and the two already had a discussion Thursday morning.
“There are a number of issues between our two ministries that are ideal for us to work together,” Gravelle said, adding the two have a lot of work ahead of them.
While some critics fear the loss of northern development and mines may mean less Ring of Fire benefits for Thunder Bay, Mauro said if there is anything they can do to influence that work arriving in this area, they can do whether or not they’re in cabinet.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy said he's happy to see an experienced cabinet in place, but that alone does not address all his worries.
"In terms of our fundamental concerns as NAN people, with the constitutional recognition of Aboriginal Treaty rights, we still have concerns in terms of consultation and accommodation."
Beardy also expressed concerns that the standalone ministry of Aboriginal Affairs has been merged with the ministry of housing and municipal affairs.
“It is blatantly obvious that once again, Premier McGuinty is expressing his very little regard for Aboriginal Affairs and working to resolve concerns by First Nations people in Ontario, as he does not see the merit of having a stand-alone minister responsible for working with us,” Beardy said in a NAN-issued news release.
Meanwhile, the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) is ready to work with Ministers Bartolucci, Wynne and Gravelle. In a press release, NOMA president Ron Nelson said they are eager to work with Minister Bartolucci to move forward with the implementation of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario that was started by Minister Gravelle.
“We trust that an announcement regarding the next stage of development of the Northern Policy Institute will be forthcoming to ensure that policies for the North are based on research conducted in the North under the supervision of Northerners,” he said.
“We also look forward to continuing to work with Minister Gravelle on important matters related to forest management and endangered species.”
