Ford defends naming nephew minister of multiculturalism as Michael Ford's city council pick resigns
CBC
Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended his decision Monday to name his nephew minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, saying the newly elected legislator has spent years representing one of the most diverse communities in the province.
Ford was asked about the appointment in a joint news conference with Toronto Mayor John Tory — his first time taking questions since he introduced his new, 30-person cabinet last week.
The premier said his nephew Michael Ford has "extensive experience," having previously served on Toronto city council and as a school trustee.
"I think he'll do an extremely good job," Doug Ford said Monday. "He has a lot of knowledge and he's been an elected official probably longer than more than 60 per cent of our caucus."
Ford was also asked Monday about his reaction to the resignation of Rosemarie Bryan, Toronto's newest city councillor who stepped down just hours after she was appointed on Friday over anti-LGBTQ social media posts. The seat was previously held by Michael Ford, who recommended Bryan for the position.
In response, the premier said, "She did the right thing; she stepped down immediately and she's no longer there."
Ford noted the ward his nephew represented on city council, Etobicoke North, is "probably one of the most multicultural areas in the entire province."
Tory, who worked with Michael Ford when he was on council and appointed him to the police services board during that time, described him as "thoughtful" and "hard working."
"He does understand his community as well as anybody else, and it is one of the most multicultural communities in all of Toronto, if not all of Canada," he said. "So give him a chance."
Michael Ford was also asked Friday if he felt any nepotism contributed to his appointment.
"I completely dismiss that," he replied.
"I've had the honour of serving on the Toronto District School Board, of serving on Toronto city council in one of the most diverse communities ... so I'm honoured to be here and to do the hard work that the residents of Ontario are going to expect."
The cabinet presented Friday has many ministers in the same roles they held under Ford's last government, including in key files such as housing and education.
Among the changes was the appointment of former solicitor general Sylvia Jones as deputy premier and health minister.
Rankin Inlet hamlet councillors recently passed a motion that has had them avoid drinking alcohol for the 12 days leading up to Christmas, with the goal of setting a positive example for the community.
Jason Jacques says he learned a lot about the importance of choosing his words carefully in his first few months as the interim parliamentary budget officer (PBO).
Durham police say a man is dead after suffering multiple stab wounds in Oshawa Tuesday morning.
An internal review of technical outages that caused significant delays at airports and international land borders this fall has exposed critical flaws with the Canada Border Services Agency's IT services.
Two people are in life-threatening condition after being pulled from a house fire in Scarborough Tuesday morning, according to Toronto Fire Services.
Whenever the door opens at the British Grenadier Bookshop, proprietor Steve Douglas doesn’t know who is going to walk through.
A northeastern Ontario potato farmer says he’s shipping more bags of potatoes to southern Ontario to make up for waning demand.
Halifax’s registry of rental properties is now available to the public online, showing what HRM staff believe are the “bulk” of rentals in the city.
A New Brunswick tenant says he’s being pushed out of his rented bungalow as retribution for complaining about his landlord, but his landlord says she’s the victim of an unfair tenancy tribunal ruling that is preventing her from using the unit to house family.
Snow and freezing rain could affect morning commutes on Tuesday, according to a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada.
Daniel Jolivet, 68, had his first taste of freedom this weekend after spending the last 33 years behind bars.
Peguis First Nation is suing former chief Glenn Hudson over allegations he failed to act in the best interest of the band and financially benefitted from breaches of duty — including claims that he enriched himself, his family and supporters.
The Saskatchewan NDP's pace in 2025 has been frenetic.