Premier's office mum on 'new blood' in cabinet ahead of Monday shuffle

Premier Kathleen Wynne will promote some new faces tothe front benches of the Ontario legislature Monday in her firstcabinet shuffle since leading the Liberals back to a majoritygovernment in June 2014.

Deputy cabinet chair Jim Bradley announced Sunday he was steppingdown from the executive council to make room for new blood at thecabinet table, following the resignations last week of three otherministers.

• Third Ontario cabinet minister quits ahead of expected shuffle

It's "normal" for ministers to change roles andresponsibilities at the mid-point of a mandate, said Bradley, whowill assume the duty of chief government whip in the legislature.

"There is a window of opportunity at this time for the premierto include in her cabinet a number of new and very capableindividuals who are eager to accept additional responsibility asmembers of the executive council," he said in a statement.

"I have suggested to the premier that I assist in the effort byrelinquishing my position...thereby opening a position in cabinetfor a new appointee."

'A reinvigorated cabinet'

No names were confirmed late Sunday, but some of the backbenchersmost often talked about as cabinet prospects included Sudbury's GlenThibeault, who is a former NDP MP, Burlington's Eleanor McMahon andOttawa's Marie-France Lalonde.

Wynne spent Sunday making calls to let people know who's in -- andwho's out -- of her cabinet, the inner circle that will be the faceof the Liberal government heading into the election scheduled forJune 2018.

Genevieve Tellier, political studies professor at the Universityof Ottawa, said a shuffle makes sense with the next election justtwo years away.

Fixed election dates allow for better long-term planning, shesaid.

"It's easier for the government to get prepared, so now theyknow the time they need to have new files and get prepared for the next election," Tellier said.

"I think it's perfect timing, two years to bring in new blood,get them working on the files, see how they perform...also areinvigorated cabinet and government, broadly that's a good thing."

The legislature adjourned last Thursday until September, soministers will have several months to get up tospeedbefore facingthe opposition parties in question period.

Balancing act

Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur, Seniors Affairs MinisterMario Sergio and Municipal Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin all steppeddown ahead of the mid-term shakeup, with McMeekin saying he wantedto make room for more women in cabinet.

Wynne has already said it would be difficult to match PrimeMinister Justin Trudeau's 50-50 gender split in his cabinet becausehe started from scratch while she inherited an existing cabinet, inwhich she was a member.

She also talked about the difficult balancing act of taking intoaccount skill sets, geographic representation and gender politics asshe makes up the new executive council.

Several ministers were seen parading in and out of the premier'soffice late last week as Wynne sounded out veterans to see whoplanned to run again in 2018.

The premier's office said it would not provide names or any otherdetails of the cabinet shakeup until the swearing-in ceremonyMonday.

Observers were watching to see if Glen Murray will remain in hisrole as environment minister now that the Liberals' $8.3-billionclimate change action plan has been announced, wondering if he'llalso get to administer its implementation.