Cabinet Shuffles

John Wilkinson, MPP Perth-Wellington

Lots of shuffles within cabinets in the past week, some of which may affect water policy.

In Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty has transferred former Minister of the Environment John Gerretsen to the Ministry of Consumer Services, presumably as a result of the eco fees debacle. The new head of the Ministry is former Minister of Revenue John Wilkinson. How this appointment might affect the proposed Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act remains to be seen, though Wilkinson does come from Revenue, so one hopes he’d be in full support of commercializing and exporting Ontario water tech. Still, we’re sad to see Minister Gerretsen leave this portfolio.

PM Harper also changed his lineup. Chuck Strahl, former Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, is now Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. John Duncan, most recently Strahl’s Parliamentary Secretary, succeeds him. What this might mean for the recently proposed First Nations Drinking Water Safety Act, who knows.