10 rookies in new McGuinty cabinet

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed 10 MPPs without previous provincial experience to the Liberal cabinet on Tuesday.

The newministers will make up more than one-third of the 28-member cabinet.

The two rookies with the biggest portfolios are Deb Matthews, who becomes the minister of children and youth services and John Milloy, who takes over the ministry of training, colleges and universities.

McGuinty has also promoted two MPPs from northern Ontario. Michael Gravelle of Thunder Bay-Superior North becomes minister of northern development and Monique Smith of Nipissing is the new revenue minister.

Another rookie MPP, from Toronto, got a promotion as well.Margarett Best becomes the new health promotion minister.

Brad Duguid, who also represents a Toronto riding,will handle the labour portfolio.

Rounding out the rest of the freshman class is Peter Fonseca astourism minister, Ted McMeekin in charge of government services and John Wilkinson as minister for research and innovation.

McGuinty also appointed a politician who has been a cabinet minister before, but in the federal government, not the provincial legislature. Barrie MPP Aileen Carroll, who served as minister for international co-operation in Paul Martin's government, becomes the province'snew culture minister.

As expected, Dwight Duncan assumed the finance portfolio vacated last week by Greg Sorbara.

George Smitherman continues on as health minister whileKathleen Wynne keeps the education portfolio.

McGuinty also confirmed earlier leaks by tapping Michael Bryant to head a new ministry, Aboriginal Affairs, and picking Chris Bentley to becomethe new Ontario attorney general.

Donna Cansfield moves from Transportation to Natural Resources, Michael Chan becomes citizenship and immigration minister, Rick Bartolucci takes over Community Safety and Correctional Services, and Harinder Takhar stays on as small business minister.