Ford names area MPP Laurie Scott as labour minister
Northumberland Peter borough South MPP named as legislative assistant
Longtime Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott was named as minister of labour Friday morning when Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford was sworn into office at Queen’s Park.
“I am honoured to be joining the cabinet as the minister of labour,” Scott said in an email Friday.
Scott is serving her fifth term as MPP for the riding, which includes Cavan Monaghan Township in Peterborough County.
She cruised to a landslide win in the June 6 provincial election.
“Thank you to the people of Haliburton Kawartha Lakes-Brock for giving me the honour of representing them,” Scott wrote.
Her new role as minister marks her first time serving in the cabinet.
“My colleagues and I look forward to getting to work for the people of Ontario,” Scott stated.
The Conservatives campaigned that they would keep the minimum wage at $14 and not raise it to $15 as ousted premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government had planned to.
Meanwhile, Peterborough Kawartha MPP Dave Smith didn’t get a seat in the cabinet. He ousted longtime Liberal incumbent Jeff Leal.
Leal was the minister of agriculture, food, and rural affairs and minister of small business.
Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman was appointed as minister of agriculture, food, and rural affairs Friday.
It’s a role he’s held in the past under former Ontario Premiere Mike Harris in 1999. Less than two years later though, Hardeman was removed from the cabinet. He was cited for poor management of his portfolio, according to The Ottawa Citizen.
When Ford was campaigning, he said if elected, he’d like to appoint a farmer as the minister of agriculture, food, and rural affairs.
Hardeman, 70, once owned and operated Hardeman Feed Ltd.
The role of minister of small business no longer exists.
Newcomer Dave Piccini, MPP for Peterborough-Northumberland South, was assigned as the parliamentary assistant to the minister of training, colleges and universities. He’ll be working alongside minister Merrilee Fullerton, the MPP for Kanata-Carleton.
My colleagues and I look forward to getting to work for the people of Ontario.
LAURIE SCOTT
MPP