Dalton McGuinty's first cabinet[1] was sworn in October 23, 2003. It was comprised of 23 members.
There were several instances of ministerial portfolio reorganisation as McGuinty took over from Eves:
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services was divided into two ministries: the "Ministry of Children's Services" (renamed "Ministry of Children and Youth Services" in 2004), tasked with implementing the government's Best Start Plan and early childhood education commitments; and the "Ministry of Community and Social Services".
A new secretariat, headed by a "Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal" (not a cabinet level position in its own right) was also created to improve participation in the democratic process by the youth and broader public.
all "Associate Ministry" positions were eliminated, and McGuinty did not at first appoint any ministers without portfolio.
Thus the McGuinty ministry began with 23 cabinet members serving in 25 portfolios (including the Premiership). Two cabinet members held multiple portfolios.
2005
First Midterm Shuffle
McGuinty's first cabinet shuffle occurred June 29, 2005,[2] about four months before reaching the midway point of his first mandate.
None of the established cabinet ministers stepped down from the ministry, but eight of them moved into a new role.
There were several instances of ministerial portfolio reorganization, all involving established cabinet ministers:
Ministry of Government Services was created to improve human resources management and internal government operations. It also absorbed the "Ministry of Consumer and Business Services."
Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet ceased to be a cabinet level position in its own right; many of its areas of responsibility were transferred to the new "Ministry of Government Services." Henceforth "Chair of the Management Board" would be the title of the head of a cabinet committee, and always exercised by whoever held the position of Minister of Finance.
Thus, the number of portfolios swelled to 26 (including the Premiership), held by 25 cabinet members.
Sorbara Scandal
Months later, the first high-profile cabinet scandal rocked the McGuinty ministry as Greg Sorbara resigned as Minister of Finance October 12, 2005, when it was revealed that he was named as a target in the criminal fraud investigation by the RCMP of Royal Group technologies Inc.[3]
Dwight Duncan took over from Sorbara as Finance Minister. Duncan remained Cabinet Chair, but established cabinet minister Jim Bradley took the role of House Leader from him. Duncan was replaced as Minister of Energy by newly appointed cabinet minister Donna Cansfield. Her addition to the ministry brought the number of women serving to seven, as Laurel Broten had also been added in the shuffle earlier in the year; placing more women in cabinet positions was reported to be a priority for McGuinty.[4]
2006
Kennedy Departs
McGuinty lost a second high-profile cabinet minister on April 5, 2006, when Gerard Kennedy stepped down as Minister of Education to pursue the leadership of the federal Liberal Party.[5]
In a shuffle involving two other cabinet members,[6]
Kennedy ultimately failed to secure leadership of the federal Liberal Party.
Sorbara returns
McGuinty recovered a valued colleague when Greg Sorbara was cleared of fraud charges and restored to his role as Minister of Finance on May 23,.[7] In a minor shuffle involving only two other cabinet members, a new porfolio was created:
The year ended with the number of cabinet members at 26, while the number of portfolios stood at 27 (including the Premiership).
2007
New Portfolios
McGuinty created two new portfolios over the course of the year:
Ministry of Revenue was created February 21, 2007, to help implement a harmonized corporate tax collection system with the federal government. Newly appointed cabinet minister Michael Chan was brought into the ministry to helm this portfolio.[10]
Thus the number of cabinet members swelled to 27, even as the number of portfolios (including the Premiership) increased to 29.
Post Election Shuffle
An extensive cabinet shuffle occurred October 30, a few weeks after the 2007 Ontario general election,[12] in which the Liberals secured another majority with nearly identical results to the last election, winning 71 out of 107 seats.[13]
Ten newly appointed cabinet ministers were brought in, including two newly elected MPPs. Only seven established cabinet ministers retained their portfolios and were not shuffled. All told, eleven established cabinet ministers changed portfolios.
There were no new ministries created in this shuffle, but one instance of ministerial reorganization:
A second small shuffle occurred September 18, 2008, when, in an effort to confront Ontario's sagging economy and shrinking manufacturing sector during the Great Recession[16] McGuinty reorganised several ministerial portfolios:
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade was divided into two new ministries, the "Ministry of Economic Development", and the "Ministry of International Trade and Investment,".
Three other established cabinet ministers were involved in the September 18 shuffle. The year ended with the number of cabinet members and number of portfolios (including the Premiership) equal at 28, with Dalton McGuinty himself still covering two portfolios (Premier and Intergovernmental Affairs), while Gerry Phillips was minister without portfolio.
2009
Bryant Departs
Ambitious high-profile minister Michael Bryant was eased out of cabinet, surrendering first his position as House Leader to his deputy Monique Smith February 4, 2009, and later stepping down as Ministry of Economic Development on May 25. He would move on to become CEO of Invest Toronto, and his vacancy would be filled by McGuinty himself in the interim. It was reported that McGuinty felt that Bryant represented a challenge to his authority.[17]
Ministries Realigned
On June 24, 2009, a minor shuffle involving six established cabinet ministers occurred.[18] In regards to two of the changes (among the several implemented this day), this shuffle could be considered largely an undoing of changes made in September of the previous year:
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade was recreated, as the experiment of a separate "Ministry of Trade" and "Ministry of Economic Development" was terminated, and the ministries were reunited.
The number of cabinet members at the end of the year sat at 26, while the number of portfolios (including the Premiership) was steady at 28.
2010
Second Midterm shuffle, Part One
Days before the big mid-term cabinet shuffle January 18, 2010,[21]Jim Watson resigned from his post as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to run for mayor of Ottawa.[17] He became the second cabinet member to resign to pursue the mayoralty of a major Ontario city; unlike Smitherman, Watson would be successful and was elected mayor of Ottawa later in the year.
There was one instance of ministerial portfolio reorganisation:
The number of cabinet members remained steady at 26, while the number of portfolios (including the Premiership) fell to 27.
Second Midterm shuffle, Part Two
On August 18, the second extensive shuffle of the year occurred; such sweeping changes occurring so close together is unusual, and indicated that the McGuinty ministry was struggling.[22]
There were two instances of ministerial portfolio reorganisation:
There would not be any instance of a cabinet member stepping down in this shuffle. In the end, both the number of cabinet members and the number of portfolios (including the Premiership) swelled to 28.
Seven vacancies opened up in the McGuinty cabinet:[24]
Six of the seven vacancies were filled thusly: the number of established cabinet ministers holding multiple portfolios increased from one to three, and three ministries ceased to exist:
Thus the cabinet shrunk to 22, smaller than it had been at its inception in 2003, when it had 23 cabinet members. There were 25 portfolios (including the Premiership).
^named "Minister Responsible for Native Affairs" and is also "Attorney General" from October 23, 2003 to June 29, 2005.
^named "Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs" and is also "Minister of Natural Resources" from June 28, 2005 to June 21, 2007.
^elevated to the status of a full ministry after June 21, 2007.
^named "Minister of Children's Services" until 2004.
^named "Minister of Consumer and Business Services" from October 23, 2003 to June 29, 2005.
^folded into "Ministry of Government Services" June 29, 2005.
^recreated as "Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurialship" from October 30, 2007 to July 8, 2008.
^named "Minister of Small Business and Consumer Services" July 8, 2008 to June 24, 2009.
^named "Minister of Consumer Services" from June 24, 2009 to February 11, 2013.
^named "Minister of Economic Development and Trade" from October 23, 2003 to September 18, 2008.
^named "Minister of Economic Development" from September 18, 2008 to June 24, 2009.
^named "Minister of Economic Development and Trade" from June 24, 2009 to October 20, 2011.
^named "Minister of Economic Development and Innovation" from October 20, 2011 to February 11, 2013.
^created from "Ministry of Energy" and "Ministry of Infrastructure" June 20, 2008; divided into original ministries again August 18, 2010.
^after June 29, 2005, held concurrently with "Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet."
^created June 29, 2005 out of "Chair of Management Board of Cabinet" and "Ministry of Consumer Affairs."
^created June 29, 2005; named "Minister of Health Promotion and Sport" from August 18, 2010 to October 20, 2011; ceases to exist after October 20, 2011.
^named "Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal" from October 23, 2003 to June 20, 2008.
^divided from "Ministry of Economic Development and Trade" from September 18, 2008; folded back into "Ministry of Economic Development" again June 24, 2009.
^named "Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry" from June 29, 2009 to October 20, 2011.
^named "Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport" from December 7, 2011 to February 11, 2013.
^position held by "Minister of Finance" after June 29, 2005; "Management Board" becomes a cabinet committee, and chair of the board ceases to be a cabinet position in its own right.
