Doug Ford shuffles labour minister under ethics investigation in cabinet shakeup
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has shuffled his cabinet, moving David Piccini to the Ministry of Infrastructure amid an ongoing ethics investigation into his previous role as labour minister. Trevor Jones has been appointed as the new Minister of Labour.
Why it matters
The cabinet shuffle is a significant political maneuver to distance the government from a scandal involving the distribution of worker-training grants while preparing for the upcoming legislative session.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium , a Village Media website devoted exclusively to covering provincial politics at Queen's Park.
Premier Doug Ford made several changes to his cabinet on Thursday, introducing a new labour minister and appointing David Piccini to lead the Ministry of Infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters after the shuffle, Ford downplayed suggestions that Piccini's shuffle was related to the Skills Development Fund controversy, calling his shift to Infrastructure "a natural move."
The premier appointed Trevor Jones as Ontario's new labour minister. He was previously minister of agriculture, a post now held by Sam Oosterhoff.
Another significant change is the appointment of Kinga Surma as President of the Treasury Board, a position of power over government spending decisions that Caroline Mulroney held before she retired from Ontario politics earlier this year.
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