The provincial riding of Huron-Bruce is now represented by a cabinet minister.
Carol Mitchell has been promoted to the front-benches of the Legislature as Agriculture Minister in a shuffle of the McGuinty cabinet.
Mitchell says while she wasn’t positive she would be involved in Monday’s shuffle, such moves usually are open secrets in the days before they happen.
Mitchell says she had an inkling that she might be promoted but she couldn’t assume the portfolio was hers until everything was finalized.
Mitchell says the portfolio is a good fit for for her especially as a rookie cabinet member.
She says representing the most agriculturally-diverse riding in Ontario gives her the advantage of having prior knowledge and experience with the issues she’ll face as minister.
Mitchell says she has already consulted with her predecessor in the Ministry and will continue to do so whenever she needs advice.
Mitchell says she and Leona Dombrowsky have gone over Dombrowsky’s plans as much as time would permit and jokes that she has Dombrowsky on speed-dial.
Up till now Mitchell had been Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Health and was a member of a government health-care task force.
Mitchell replaces Dombrowsky who takes over the education portfolio from Kathleen Wynne who in turn becomes minister of transportation.