Eves ministry
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Eves ministry | |
|---|---|
 23rd ministry of Ontario | |
.svg) No image available | |
| Date formed | May 15, 2002 |
| Date dissolved | October 23, 2003 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | |
| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Premier | Ernie Eves |
| Deputy Premier | |
| Member party | Progressive Conservative |
| Status in legislature |
|
| Opposition party | Liberal |
| Opposition leader | |
| History | |
| Election | 1999 |
| Legislature term | |
| Incoming formation | 2002 PC Party leadership election |
| Outgoing formation | 2003 Ontario general election |
| Predecessor | Harris ministry |
| Successor | McGuinty ministry |
The Eves ministry was the combined Cabinet (formally the Executive Council of Ontario) that governed Ontario from April 15, 2002, to October 22, 2003. It was chaired by the 23rd premier of Ontario, Ernie Eves. The Cabinet was made up of members of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, which commanded a parliamentary majority.
The ministry replaced the Harris ministry following the aftermath of the 2002 PC Party leadership election. That election occurred after the resignation of Premier Mike Harris and his cabinet, and the appointment of Eves and his cabinet. The ministry governed through the final seventeen months of the 38th and 39th Parliaments of Ontario.
After the PC Party lost the 2003 election, Eves resigned, and was succeeded by Dalton McGuinty.
History
[edit]Despite its short duration, the Eves ministry faced several alterations over its seventeen months.
Cam Jackson stepped down October 2, 2002, resigning in scandal.[1] He was replaced as Minister of Tourism and Recreation by newly appointed cabinet minister Frank Klees.
Chris Stockwell had his Ministry of Environment and Energy divided into two ministries August 22, 2002, with the "Ministry of Environment" remaining assigned to him, and "Ministry of Energy" going to John Baird, who was already in Cabinet as an Associate Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. The number of ministries remained at 26 because Baird's position of Associate Minister was eliminated as a standalone cabinet-level position; moving forward, Baird would be "Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs" while at Energy, similar to how Carl DeFaria was "Minister Responsible for Seniors" while Minister of Citizenship.
Chris Hodgson abruptly stepped down January 13, 2003.[2] His position at Municipal Affairs and Housing ultimately went to David Young, who was replaced as Attorney General by Norm Sterling. In a minor cabinet shuffle that involved three cabinet members, newly appointed Ernie Hardeman filled the vacancy in cabinet left by Hodgson's departure and was appointed "Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for Rural Affairs.
The final change occurred when Chris Stockwell resigned from cabinet and from parliament July 17, 2003, to be replaced as Environment Minister by Jim Wilson, who was already in cabinet as Minister of Northern Development and Mines; Stockwell was replaced as House Leader by John Baird. Stockwell's spot in cabinet was assigned to Doug Galt who served as MWP, thus keeping the number of members of cabinet steady at 24, as it had been the whole time.
Summary
[edit]Eves included all four of the candidates who had competed with him for the leadership of the PC Party in 2002: Jim Flaherty joined the ministry as Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation; Tony Clement as Minister of Health and Long Term Care; Elizabeth Witmer joined as minister of education and as deputy premier; and Chris Stockwell joined as minister of the environment and energy and house leader.
Other high-profile portfolios went to David Young as attorney general and Brad Clark as minister of labour. Future leadership contender Frank Klees joined the cabinet August 2, 2002 as minister of tourism and recreation, though he had been unavailable to join Eves's ministry when it first launched.
The Eves ministry began with 24 ministers serving in 26 portfolios; Eves (premier and intergovernmental affairs) and David Tsubouchi (chair of Management Board of Cabinet and minister of culture) served in two ministerial positions each at first; in the final months, Jim Wilson also served in two ministerial positions (Ministry of the Environment and minister of Northern development and mines) while Doug Galt served as minister without portfolio. The number of members of cabinet never exceeded 24.
Of the 27 cabinet members that served in the Eves ministry, 24 had served the previous Harris ministry. Carl DeFaria, Tina Molinari, and Jerry Ouellette were the only ministers with no experience. Some of them served the whole Harris ministry no doubt, and I shall have to make note of that here.
Only six women served in this ministry, but two women served in high-profile portfolios: Janet Ecker served as minister of finance, and Elizabeth Witmer served as both deputy premier and minister of education. Also serving were Dianne Cunningham, Tina Molinari, Helen Johns, and Brenda Elliott.
With the exception of David Tsubouchi (of Japanese-Canadian heritage), the entire cabinet was white.
List of ministers
[edit]| Position | Minister | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | ||
| Premier of Ontario | Ernie Eves | April 15, 2002 | October 22, 2003 |
| Deputy Premier of Ontario | Elizabeth Witmer | April 15, 2002 | October 22, 2003 |
| Chair of Cabinet | |||
| House Leader | Chris Stockwell | April 15, 2002 | June 17, 2003 |
| John Baird | June 17, 2003 | September 2, 2003 | |
| Deputy Government House Leader | John Baird | April 15, 2002 | June 17, 2003 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ divided into "Ministry of Environment" and "Ministry of Energy" August 22, 2002
- ^ created from "Ministry of the Environment and Energy" August 22, 2002
- ^ created from "Ministry of the Environment and Energy" August 22, 2002
- ^ created April 15, combining "Solicitor General" with "Minister of Correctional Services."
- ^ also "Attorney General."
- ^ named "Associate Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs" from April 15, 2002 to August 22, 2002.
References
[edit]- ^ "Big-spending Jackson quits Tory cabinet". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ "Shocked by Hodgson's departure". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 4, 2024.