Executive Council of Ontario - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Executive Council of Ontario (informally, and more commonly, the Cabinet of Ontario) plays an important role in the
Government of Ontario

Government of Ontario

The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....

, in accordance with the Westminster system

Westminster System

The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....

.

A council of ministers of the Crown

Minister of the Crown

Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...

chaired by the Premier of Ontario

Premier of Ontario

The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...

, the Executive Council

Executive Council (Canada)

Executive Councils in the provinces and territories of Canada are constitutional organs headed by the Lieutenant Governor.The Cabinet is an informal grouping within the Council, headed by a provincial Premier, whom hold de facto power over the body...

, almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...

, advises the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...

on how to exercise the executive functions of the Ontario Crown

Monarchy in Ontario

By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in Ontario as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within Ontario's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Ontario, Her Majesty in Right of Ontario, or the...

. The members of the council are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, on the advice of his or her Premier; though the Lieutenant Governor does not generally attend council meetings, directives issued by the viceroy

Viceroy

A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...

on the advice of his or her ministers are said to be ordered by the Governor-in-Council

Queen-in-Council

The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...

. Ministers hold the honorific prefix "The Honourable

The Honourable

The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...

" while members of the council.

The cabinet is thus similar in structure and role to the federal Queen's Privy Council for Canada

Queen's Privy Council for Canada

The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...

, though smaller in size, and, whereas the federal cabinet

Cabinet of Canada

The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...

is actually a committee of the Queen's Privy Council, the Executive Council of Ontario and Cabinet of Ontario are one and the same. Also unlike the Queen's Privy Council, members of the Ontario Executive Council are not appointed for life, and are not entitled to post nominal letters due to their position.

Most cabinet ministers are the head of a ministry

Ministry (government department)

A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...

, but this is not always the case. The Lieutenant Governor, advised

Advice (constitutional)

Advice, in constitutional law, is formal, usually binding, instruction given by one constitutional officer of state to another. Especially in parliamentary systems of government, Heads of state often act on the basis of advice issued by prime ministers or other government ministers...

by the Premier, determines which portfolios will be created. It is then up to the new minister to organize his or her department, and to present legislation for the new ministry if none exists.

Current cabinet

The current cabinet was most recently shuffled

Cabinet shuffle

In the parliamentary system a cabinet shuffle or reshuffle is an informal term for an event that occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet....

on October 20, 2011.

Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant Governor of Ontario The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...	David C. Onley	(2007-)
Portfolio	Minister
Premier of Ontario Premier of Ontario The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario... Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs (Ontario) The Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs is responsible for intergovernmental affairs between the Canadian province of Ontario and the other provinces and territories and the Canadian government...	Dalton McGuinty Dalton McGuinty Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....	(2003-) (2011-)
Deputy Premier of Ontario Deputy Premier of Ontario The Deputy Premier of Ontario is the representative of the Premier of Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario when the current Premier is unable to attend functions executed by the Premier... Minister of Finance	Dwight Duncan Dwight Duncan Dwight Duncan, MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is the Minister of Finance in the government of Dalton McGuinty...	(2011-) (2007-)
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs	Ted McMeekin Ted McMeekin Ted McMeekin is a politician residing in Flamborough Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale for the Liberal Party of Ontario...	(2011-)
Attorney General of Ontario Attorney General of Ontario The Attorney General of Ontario is a senior member of the Executive Council of Ontario and governs the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario - the department responsible for the oversight of the justice system within the province. The Attorney General is an elected Member of Provincial...	John Gerretsen John Gerretsen John Philip Gerretsen is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and a Minister in the Cabinet of Premier Dalton McGuinty.-Early life:...	(2011-)
Minister of Children and Youth Services	Eric Hoskins Eric Hoskins Eric William Hoskins, OC, MSC is a Canadian administrator and politician. Hoskins was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in a by-election on September 17, 2009, representing St. Paul's as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party...	(2011-)
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration	Charles Sousa Charles Sousa Charles Sousa is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Mississauga South, and is the province's Minister of Labour in the Cabinet of Premier Dalton McGuinty...	(2011-)
Minister of Community and Social Services Government House Leader Government House Leader (Ontario) The Ontario Government House Leader is the provincial cabinet minister responsible for planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario...	John Milloy	(2011-)
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs Office of Francophone Affairs The Office of Francophone Affairs in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for the provision of government services to Franco-Ontarian citizens and communities....	Madeleine Meilleur Madeleine Meilleur Madeleine Meilleur is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Premier Dalton McGuinty.-Background:...	(2011-) (2003-)
Minister of Consumer Services	Margarett Best Margarett Best Margarett Best is a Canadian politician. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election, representing the riding of Scarborough—Guildwood. She is a member of the Liberal Party.-Background:...	(2011-)
Minister of Economic Development and Innovation	Brad Duguid Brad Duguid Brad Duguid is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Scarborough Centre and is the province's Minister of Economic Development and Innovation in the Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty for the Ontario Liberal...	(2011-)
Minister of Education Minister responsible for Women's Issues Ontario Women's Directorate The Ontario Women's Directorate is a government agency under the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration responsible for women's issues, specifically: violence against women and economic independence....	Laurel Broten Laurel Broten Laurel C. Broten is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore for the Ontario Liberal Party. On October 19, 2011, she was appointed Ontario Minister of Education.-Background:Prior to entering politics,...	(2011-) (2009-)
Minister of Energy	Chris Bentley Chris Bentley For the Canadian politician, see Christopher Bentley.Chris Bentley is a Rugby Union Player for Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership. He made his debut in 2004 against London Welsh. His position of choice is Lock-External links:*...	(2011-)
Minister of the Environment	Jim Bradley	(2011-)
Minister of Government Services	Harinder Takhar Harinder Takhar Harinder Jeet Singh Takhar is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Takhar was born to a Sikh family in the Indian state of Punjab, with a background in farming and civil service work. He moved to Canada in 1974, and arrived in Mississauga, Ontario in 1977...	(2009-)
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care	Deb Matthews Deb Matthews Deborah Drake Matthews, Ph.D. is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of London North Centre for the Ontario Liberal Party, and is currently the province's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care in the government of...	(2009-)
Minister of Labour Minister Responsible for Seniors	Linda Jeffrey Linda Jeffrey Linda Jeffrey is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Brampton—Springdale for the Ontario Liberal Party, and is the province's Minister of Natural Resources in the Liberal government of Premier Dalton...	(2011-)
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Aboriginal Affairs Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (Ontario) The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs is the Government of Ontario ministry responsible for issues relating to First Nations, Métis and Inuit in Ontario. The current Minister of Aboriginal Affairs is Kathleen Wynne who sits in the Executive Council of Ontario or cabinet...	Kathleen Wynne Kathleen Wynne Kathleen O. Wynne is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Don Valley West for the Liberal Party.-Background:...	(2011-)
Minister of Natural Resources	Michael Gravelle Michael Gravelle Michael Gravelle is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, and also a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the northern riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North for the Ontario Liberal Party.Gravelle was born in Port...	(2011-)
Minister of Northern Development and Mines Chair of Cabinet Management Board Secretariat (Ontario) The Treasury Board/Management Board of Cabinet is a joint sub-committee of Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentary Assistants who manage the fiscal plan of the government including controlling all government spending, approving labour agreements and workforce planning, manage the provincial contingency...	Rick Bartolucci Rick Bartolucci Rick Bartolucci is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has represented Sudbury in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty...	(2011-)
Minister of Tourism and Culture Ministry of Culture (Ontario) The Ministry of Culture in the Canadian province of Ontario was responsible for the development of policies and programs and the operation of programs related to arts, cultural industries, heritage sectors and libraries, in Ontario...	Michael Chan Michael Chan (Canadian politician) Michael Chan is a Canadian politician. He is the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament for the Ontario provincial riding of Markham-Unionville and Minister of Tourism and Culture in the provincial Liberal government headed by Dalton McGuinty...	(2010-)
Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities	Glen Murray	(2011-)
Minister of Transport Ministry of Transportation (Ontario) The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario is the provincial ministry of the government of Ontario which is responsible for transport infrastructure and related law in Ontario. The ministry traces its roots back over a century to the 1890s, when the province began training Provincial Road Building... and Infrastructure Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (Ontario) The Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal was responsible for public infrastructure in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was not only responsible for funding individual capital projects, but for drafting the capital budget in place of the Ministry of Finance...	Bob Chiarelli Bob Chiarelli Robert "Bob" Chiarelli is a Canadian politician. He served in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1987 to 1997, and was subsequently re-elected to the legislature in 2010 after serving as regional chair and mayor of Ottawa from 1997 to 2006...	(2011-) (2010-)

Former Ministries

Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (-2008)
Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (-2008)
Ministry of Energy (-2008)
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (1994–2002)
Ministry of Children's Services (10/2003 - 03/2004)
Ministry of Citizenship (1987–1995; 2001–2003)
Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation (1995–2001)
Ministry of Colleges and Universities (1972–1993)
Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services (2002–2003)
Ministry of Consumer and Business Services (2003–2005)
Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (1972–2001)
Ministry of Correctional Services (1972–1993; 1999–2002)
Ministry of Culture and Communications (1987–1993)
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation (1993–1995)
Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism (1995–1999)
Ministry of Education and Training (1993–1999)
Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology (1997–2002)
Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation (2002–2003)
Ministry of Environment and Energy (1993–1997; 2002)
Ministry of Financial Institutions (1986–1993)
Ministry of Health (1972–1999)
Ministry of Housing (1973–1981; 1985–1995)
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology (1985–1993)
Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs (-2007)
Ministry of Municipal Affairs (1985–1995; 10/2003 - 03/2004)
Ministry of Public Safety and Security (2002–2003)
Ministry of Skills Development (1985–1993)
Ministry of the Solicitor General (1972–1993; 1999–2002)
Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services (1993–1999)
Ministry of Tourism (1999–2001)
Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation (2001–2002)
Ministry of Transportation and Communications (1971–1987)
Ministry of Treasury and Economics (1978–1993)
Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario
Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario
The Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario was a senior position in the provincial cabinet of Ontario from before Canadian Confederation until the 1960s....

(from 1961 Provincial Secretary and Minister of Citizenship) (list
Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario
The Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario was a senior position in the provincial cabinet of Ontario from before Canadian Confederation until the 1960s....

) (1867–1975)

Current cabinet

Former Ministries

See also