Eves ministry explained

Cabinet Name:Eves ministry
Cabinet Type:ministry
Cabinet Number:23rd
Jurisdiction:Ontario
Flag:Flag of Ontario.svg
Flag Border:true
Government Head Title:Premier
Government Head:Ernie Eves
Deputy Government Head Title:Deputy Premier
Deputy Government Head:
State Head Title:Monarch
State Head:
Represented By Title:Lieutenant Governor
Represented By:
    Political Party:Progressive Conservative
    Opposition Party:Liberal
    Opposition Leader:
      Election:1999
      Legislature Status:
      Incoming Formation:2002 PC Party leadership election
      Outgoing Formation:2003 Ontario general election
      Predecessor:Harris ministry
      Successor:McGuinty Ministry

      The Eves ministry was the combined cabinet (formally the Executive Council of Ontario) that governed Ontario from April 15, 2002, to October 22, 2003. It was led by the 23rd premier of Ontario, Ernie Eves. The cabinet was made up of members of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, which commanded a parliamentary majority.

      The ministry replaced the Harris ministry following the 2002 PC Party leadership election, occurring after the resignation of Premier Mike Harris. The ministry governed through the final seventeen months of the 37th Parliament of Ontario.

      After the PC Party lost the 2003 election, the Eves ministry resigned, and was succeeded by the McGuinty ministry lead by Dalton McGuinty.

      History

      The Eves Cabinet is formed

      Eves assembled a cabinet of 25 ministers, which was sworn in April 15, 2002. He included in his cabinet all four of the candidates who had competed with him for the leadership of the PC Party weeks previously: Jim Flaherty (as Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation), Tony Clement (as Minister of Health and Long Term Care), Elizabeth Witmer (as Minister of Education and as Deputy Premier), and Chris Stockwell (as Minister of the Environment and Energy and House Leader).

      Other high-profile portfolios went to David Young as Attorney General and Brad Clark as Minister of Labour. Future leadership contender Frank Klees (who would compete with Flaherty and Clement to succeed Eves as party leader in 2004) would eventually join the cabinet October 2, 2002 as Minister of tourism and recreation, though he had been unavailable to join Eves's ministry when it first launched.

      Of the 25 original cabinet members, 22 had served the previous Harris ministry, including six who served for the entirety of its nearly seven year duration (Dianne Cunningham, Chris Hodgson, Cam Jackson, Norm Sterling, David Tsubouchi, and Elizabeth Witmer). Sterling had also served nearly four years under Premier Davis (1981-1985), while Premier Eves and Bob Runciman had also a few months of experience under Premier Miller in 1985. Carl DeFaria, Tina Molinari, and Jerry Ouellette were the only cabinet members in the original Eves ministry without any experience.

      The Eves ministry was originally organised into 27 portfolios (including the Premiership); Eves (premier and intergovernmental affairs) and David Tsubouchi (chair of Management Board of Cabinet and Minister of Culture) both served simultaneously in two ministerial positions at the outset of the ministry, and would do so for the duration.

      There were six instances of ministerial portfolio reorganisation as Eves took over for Harris:

      Change to the Eves Ministry

      There were a further two instances of ministerial portfolio reorganisation on August 22, 2002:

      There were also three instances of cabinet membership changes:

      Summary

      After the PC Party lost the 2003 election, the Eves ministry resigned, and was succeeded by the McGuinty ministry lead by Dalton McGuinty.

      At any given time during the Eves ministry, there were 25 cabinet members, while there were 27 ministries. Thus the Eves ministry has the same number of cabinet members as Harris had at the end of his ministry (24), but three more portfolios than Harris had (24); Eves tended to appoint "associate ministers" (naming four while Harris named one) while Harris tended to appointed "ministers without portfolio" (naming six while Eves named only one, and even then only very late in the ministry); Eves had as many as three ministers covering multiple portfolios at a time, while Harris only temporarily resorted to such a measure in one instance.

      Only six women served in this ministry, but two women served in high-profile portfolios: Janet Ecker served as minister of finance, and Elizabeth Witmer served as both deputy premier and minister of education. Also serving were Dianne Cunningham, Tina Molinari, Helen Johns, and Brenda Elliott.

      With the exception of David Tsubouchi (of Japanese-Canadian heritage), the entire cabinet was white.

      All 25 incumbent cabinet members would contest their seats in the 2003 Ontario general election. Eleven would win their contests, including Ernie Eves himself, Norm Sterling, Bob Runciman, Frank Klees, Jim Flaherty, Tim Hudak, and Elizabeth Witmer; Fifteen, however, went down to defeat, including Janet Ecker, Tony Clement, and Dianne Cunningham. The Progressive Conservative Party saw their caucus shrink from 59 to 24, as the Eves ministry went down to defeat.

      Trivia

      Tony Clement's father John also served in the ministry of Bill Davis in the 1970s.

      List of ministers

      Position! rowspan="2"
      MinisterTenure
      StartEnd
      Premier of OntarioErnie Eves[3] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Deputy Premier of OntarioElizabeth Witmer[4] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      House LeaderChris Stockwell[5] April 15, 2002June 17, 2003
      John BairdJune 17, 2003September 2, 2003
      Deputy Government House LeaderJohn Baird[6] April 15, 2002June 17, 2003
      vacant?June 17, 2003September 2, 2003
      Chief WhipJohn BairdApril 15, 2002August 22, 2002
      Doug Galt[7] August 22, 2002September 2, 2003
      Portfolio! rowspan="2"
      MinisterTenure
      StartEnd
      Minister of Agriculture,
      and Food      		Helen Johns[8] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Attorney GeneralDavid Young[9] April 15, 2002February 25, 2003
      Norm Sterling[10] February 25, 2003October 22, 2003
      Minister of Children,
      Community
      and Social Services      		Brenda Elliott[11] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of CitizenshipCarl DeFaria[12] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Tim Hudak[13] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of CultureDavid Tsubouchi[14] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of EducationElizabeth WitmerApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister
      of Enterprise,
      Opportunity
      and Innovation      		Jim Flaherty[15] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Associate Minister
      of Enterprise,
      Opportunity
      and Innovation      		David Turnbull[16] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Chris StockwellApril 15, 2002August 22, 2002
      Minister of EnergyJohn BairdAugust 22, 2002October 22, 2003
      Chris StockwellAugust 22, 2002June 17, 2003
      Jim Wilson[17] June 17, 2003October 22, 2003
      Minister of FinanceJanet Ecker[18] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of Health
      and Long-Term Care      		Tony Clement[19] April 15, 2002October 23, 2003
      Associate Minister
      of Health
      and Long-Term Care      		Dan Newman[20] April 15, 2002October 23, 2003
      Minister of
      Intergovernmental Affairs      		Ernie EvesApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of LabourBrad Clark[21] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister
      of Municipal Affairs
      and Housing      		Chris Hodgson[22] April 15, 2002January 13, 2003
      Helen Johns
      (Interim)      		January 13, 2003February 25, 2003
      David YoungFebruary 25, 2003October 22, 2003
      Associate Minister
      of Municipal Affairs
      and Housing
      Responsible for
      Rural Affairs      		Brian Coburn[23] April 15, 2002February 25, 2003
      Ernie Hardeman[24] February 25, 2003October 22, 2003
      Associate Minister
      of Municipal Affairs
      and Housing
      Responsible for
      Urban Affairs      		Tina Molinari[25] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of Natural ResourcesJerry Ouellette[26] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of Northern Development
      and Mines      		Jim WilsonApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of Public Safety
      and Security      		Bob Runciman[27] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister Responsible
      for Native Affairs      		David YoungApril 15, 2002February 25, 2003
      Norm SterlingFebruary 25, 2003October 22, 2003
      Minister Responsible for
      Francophone Affairs      		John BairdApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister Responsible for SeniorsCarl DeFariaApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister Responsible for
      Women's Issues      		Dianne Cunningham[28] April 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister of Tourism
      and Recreation      		Cam Jackson[29] April 15, 2002October 2, 2002
      Frank Klees[30] October 2, 2002February 25, 2003
      Brian CoburnFebruary 25, 2003October 23, 2003
      Minister of TransportationNorm SterlingApril 15, 2002February 25, 2003
      Frank KleesFebruary 25, 2003October 22, 2003
      Minister of Training,
      Colleges and Universities      		Dianne CunninghamApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003
      Minister Without PortfolioDoug GaltAugust 22, 2002October 22, 2003
      Chair of the
      Management Board of Cabinet      		David TsubouchiApril 15, 2002October 22, 2003

      Notes and References

      1. News: Big-spending Jackson quits Tory cabinet. The Globe and Mail. October 3, 2002 . November 4, 2024.
      2. Web site: Shocked by Hodgson's departure. The Globe and Mail. January 9, 2003 . November 4, 2024.
      3. Web site: Ernie Eves | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . May 2, 2002 .
      4. Web site: Elizabeth Witmer | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . September 6, 1990 .
      5. Web site: Chris Stockwell | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . September 6, 1990 .
      6. Web site: John R. Baird | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      7. Web site: Doug Galt | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      8. Web site: Helen Johns | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      9. Web site: David Young | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 3, 1999 .
      10. Web site: Norman W. Sterling | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 9, 1977 .
      11. Web site: Brenda Elliott | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      12. Web site: Carl DeFaria | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      13. Web site: Tim Hudak | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      14. Web site: David H. Tsubouchi | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      15. Web site: Jim Flaherty | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      16. Web site: David Turnbull | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . September 6, 1990 .
      17. Web site: Jim Wilson | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . September 6, 1990 .
      18. Web site: Janet Ecker | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      19. Web site: Tony Clement | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      20. Web site: Dan Newman | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      21. Web site: Brad Clark | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 3, 1999 .
      22. Web site: Chris Hodgson | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . March 17, 1994 .
      23. Web site: Brian Coburn | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 3, 1999 .
      24. Web site: Ernie Hardeman | Legislative Assembly of Ontario .
      25. Web site: Tina R. Molinari | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 3, 1999 .
      26. Web site: Jerry J. Ouellette | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .
      27. Web site: Robert W. Runciman | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . March 19, 1981 .
      28. Web site: Dianne Cunningham | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . March 31, 1988 .
      29. Web site: Cameron Jackson | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . May 2, 1985 .
      30. Web site: Frank Klees | Legislative Assembly of Ontario . June 8, 1995 .

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