Premier downplays ministers’ exits

Wynne frames retirement of Liz Sandals, Deb Matthews as personal, family choices

The decisions of two veteran cabinet ministers to retire before next June’s provincial election doesn’t mean key Liberals are losing confidence in their chances, Premier Kathleen Wynne says.

With her party struggling behind Patrick Brown’s Progressive Conservatives in most public opinion polls, Wynne portrayed the pending departures of Deputy Premier Deb Matthews and Treasury Board President Liz Sandals as personal choices by women with long track records in public service.

“Every single one of my caucus members has a whole life outside of their political lives. Both Liz and Deb are grandmoms,” the premier said at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington on Monday.

“As a grandmother myself, I can tell you there is nothing as rewarding as spending time with your grandchildren and wondering how much time you’re going to have. We don’t know how much time we’re going to have.”

Matthews, 63, and Sandals, 69, made their announcements Friday afternoon on the eve of the Thanksgiving long weekend with the Legislature not sitting this week.

Both said they remain confident about Liberal prospects, with Matthews reaffirming her commitment to co-chair the re-election campaign.

Matthews, who also serves as minister of advanced education and skills development, is one of Wynne’s most trusted advisers. Sandals, from Guelph, has been a school trustee and MPP for almost 30 years, and Matthews was first elected in Lon- don North Centre in 2003.

Wynne cautioned against reading too much into the departures, which follow a recent decision by Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid, 55, not to seek re-election. He suffered a mild heart attack last year. Toronto Centre MPP Glen Murray quit as environment minister during the summer for a new job leading the Pembina Insitute, while Speaker Dave Levac, the Liberal MPP for Brantford, has said last May he will not run again.

“People give their time. They do an enormous amount, and then we need to, without rancour or criticism, let them make a decision that’s good for their families and good for themselves . . . We owe (them) that,” the premier said.

Wynne insisted she has not set a deadline for other MPPs or cabinet ministers to decide if they are running again.