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Deputy Premier of Ontario

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Deputy Premier of Ontario
Vice-première ministre de l'Ontario
Incumbent
Sylvia Jones
since June 24, 2022
Executive Council of Ontario
Style
StatusIncumbent
Member of
Reports to
SeatQueen's Park, Toronto
AppointerThe lieutenant governor
on the advice of the premier
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderBob Welch
FormationSeptember 21, 1977
(47 years ago)
 (1977-09-21)
Salary$101,750 (2018)[1]

The deputy premier of Ontario (French: vice-première ministre de l'Ontario) is a minister of the Crown and senior member of the provincial Executive Council (Cabinet). The office was first created in 1977, and is conferred on the advice of the premier of Ontario. Though the role is seen as informally important, it does not hold formal legal power in its own right, and does not automatically receive any powers in the case of absence or death of a premier.[2]

Sylvia Jones is the 12th and current deputy premier of Ontario, assuming office on June 24, 2022. She concurrently serves as the minister of health.[3]

History

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For much of the province's early history, the position of provincial secretary and registrar of Ontario was the second most powerful position in the Ontario Cabinet. This role diminished by the 1960s, overtaken by the deputy premier in 1977 and abolished in 1985.

To date, every person serving as deputy premier of Ontario has also concurrently held another senior position in the Ontario Cabinet. Bette Stephenson, Robert Nixon, Floyd Laughren, Ernie Eves, Jim Flaherty, and Dwight Duncan were all concurrently provincial treasurer or, as that position was renamed in 1993, minister of Finance.

Christine Elliott, deputy premier from 2018 to 2022, was widow of Jim Flaherty, deputy premier from 2001 to 2002 (who died in 2014).

Deputy premiers of Ontario

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Name Term of office Tenure Political party
(Ministry)
Note
1 Bob Welch September 21, 1977 February 8, 1985 7 years, 238 days PC
(Davis)
While Attorney General, Provincial Secretary for Justice, Minister of Culture and Recreation (1977–78), Minister of Energy (1979–83) & Minister Responsible for Women's Issues (1983–85)
February 8, 1985 May 17, 1985 PC
(Miller)
While Attorney General
2 Bette Stephenson May 17, 1985 June 26, 1985 40 days While Treasurer & Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet
Vacant June 26, 1985 September 29, 1987 Liberal
(Peterson)
3 Robert Nixon September 29, 1987 October 1, 1990 3 years, 2 days While Treasurer, Minister of Economics and Minister of Financial Institutions
4 Floyd Laughren October 1, 1990 June 26, 1995 4 years, 268 days NDP
(Rae)
While Minister of Economics and Treasurer (1990–93) & Minister of Finance (1993-95)
5 Ernie Eves June 26, 1995 February 8, 2001 5 years, 227 days PC
(Harris)
While Minister of Finance
6 Jim Flaherty February 8, 2001 April 14, 2002 1 year, 65 days While Minister of Finance
7 Elizabeth Witmer April 15, 2002 October 22, 2003 1 year, 190 days PC
(Eves)
While Minister of Education
Vacant October 23, 2003 September 20, 2006 Liberal
(McGuinty)
8 George Smitherman September 21, 2006 November 9, 2009 2 years, 352 days While Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (2006–08) & Minister of Energy and Infrastructure (2008–09)
Vacant September 9, 2009 October 19, 2011
9 Dwight Duncan October 20, 2011 February 11, 2013[4] 1 year, 114 days While Minister of Finance & Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet
10 Deb Matthews February 11, 2013 January 17, 2018 4 years, 340 days Liberal
(Wynne)
While Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (2013–14), President of the Treasury Board (2014–16) & Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development (2016–18)
Vacant January 17, 2018 June 29, 2018
11 Christine Elliott June 29, 2018 June 24, 2022 3 years, 360 days PC
(Ford)
While Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (until June 20, 2019) and while Minister of Health (June 20, 2019 – June 24, 2022)
12 Sylvia Jones June 24, 2022 Present 2 years, 164 days While Minister of Health (June 24, 2022 – Present)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Public sector salary disclosure 2018: all sectors and seconded employees". Government of Ontario. June 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Lang, Eugene (August 6, 2020). "The role of deputy prime minister is not as powerful as most think". Policy Options. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  3. ^ Jun 29, Marieke Walsh Published on; 2018 11:40am (2018-06-29). "Doug Ford reveals 21-member cabinet featuring deputy premier Christine Elliott". iPolitics. Retrieved 2021-11-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Dwight Duncan". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Retrieved 30 April 2024.