Ontario cabinet shuffle brings together northern-focused ministries

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Ontario now has one minister responsible for natural resources and forestry, northern development and mines, and Indigenous affairs.

Premier Doug Ford announced a cabinet shuffle late last week, repositioning many of his government's responsibilities less than one year before voters are set to return to the polls.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford had spent the previous three years as the province's minister of energy, northern development and mines and Indigenous affairs. The shuffle results in him taking on the natural resources and forestry portfolio, while handing off the energy file.

Rickford said there was already a lot of work being done together between the two ministries.of the natural resources and forestry and northern development and mines.

"What we have now can be thought as more of an economic portfolio rather than just one that sometimes gets viewed as a regulatory ministry," Rickford said. 

"Obviously, our top priority is to protect the beautiful things we have here in abundance but to develop when it comes to resources responsibly."

Rickford said, prior to the shuffle, he was often involved in working with the ministry of natural resources and forestry along with former minister John Yakabuski.

Files should be kept separate, former minister says

But one former provincial cabinet minister who has served in those roles insisted the jobs should be kept separate.

Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle had stints leading the natural resources and forestry, and northern development and mines files, during the Liberals' 15 years in government, but never both at the same time.

"The ministry of natural resources and forestry has a strong regulatory framework in terms of the obligations," Gravelle said. "People have to follow the rules from a natural resources point of view, and that can sometimes come into conflict with some of the economic opportunities that are out there."

Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle is a former Liberal cabinet minister. (Matt Prokopchuk / CBC)

Gravelle also argued that the province should have a minister solely dedicated to Indigenous affairs.

"This is something that now I think is more important than ever," he said.

When asked about how to reconcile the economic interests of the forestry and mining industries while also serving as minister of Indigenous affairs, Rickford said the key comes from working together.

"We have demonstrated in a number of key opportunities that were previously issues, especially for Indigenous leadership, on how to get work done together.

"We have lead communities on the environmental assessment processes for the corridor to prosperity leading into the Ring of Fire. We put the East-West Tie infrastructure together two years ago and mobilized more than 300 Indigenous trained workers on a key energy infrastructure project.

"I don't see the two as being at odds with each other."