Education Minister Todd Smith, who has served as an MPP since 2011, stepped down Friday in a stunning move that will trigger a byelection in the riding of Bay of Quinte.
Todd Smith’s surprise resignation after just 10 weeks as education minister has forced Premier Doug Ford to shuffle his cabinet, promoting Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop to that key post.
Smith, 53, a Progressive Conservative MPP since 2011, stepped down Friday in a stunning move that will trigger a byelection in the riding of Bay of Quinte within six months.
His unexpected departure led a blindsided Ford to elevate Dunlop, 49, whose successor at the postsecondary education department is Nolan Quinn, 41, a first-term MPP who was associate minister of forestry.
Quinn’s replacement is rookie MPP Kevin Holland (Thunder Bay—Atikokan).
Also joining the ballooning cabinet is one-term Brampton North MPP Graham McGregor, 31, the newly created associate minister for auto theft and bail reform under Solicitor General Michael Kerzner.
Combating car theft rings — in part by encouraging Ottawa to strengthen bail provisions — has been a Ford crusade.
But Friday’s retirement unravelled the strategy behind the premier’s June 6 cabinet revamp that moved 14 ministers and expanded the executive council to 36 members. There will now be a record 37 ministers.
“The life of a politician is hard and takes its toll, especially when I was away from home as often as I’ve been over the past 13 years,” said Smith, who recently returned from a trip to Joshua Tree park near Palm Springs in the California desert with his wife, Tawnya, a vice-principal.
Bu hikaye Toronto Star dergisinin August 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Toronto Star dergisinin August 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Disgraceful behaviour on Parliament Hill
‘Was it you or not?’ Jagmeet Singh confronts heckler on Parliament Hill, Sept. 17
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Walkie-talkies and solar equipment exploded in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon on Wednesday in an apparent second wave of attacks targeting devices a day after pagers used by Hezbollah blew up, state media and officials for the militant group said. At least 20 people were killed and more than 450 wounded in the second wave, the Health Ministry said.
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Dutcher wins second Polaris award
Singer donating prize to school in New Brunswick
