The Ford government has announced that it will not be reducing the size of its cabinet, despite previous promises to do so.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford’s office confirmed that the cabinet will remain at 28 members, with no plans for any changes in the near future.
This decision comes as a surprise to many, as Ford had previously promised to reduce the size of the cabinet to 24 members during his election campaign in 2018. He had also reiterated this promise in his government’s mandate letters to ministers in 2019.
The decision to maintain the current cabinet size has been met with criticism from opposition parties and political experts. They argue that a smaller cabinet would be more efficient and cost-effective, as well as a better representation of the province’s diversity.
However, the Ford government defends its decision, stating that the current cabinet size is necessary to effectively manage the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impacts.
In addition, the government argues that the current cabinet size is in line with other provinces, such as British Columbia and Quebec, which also have 28 and 26 cabinet members respectively.
Despite this, some critics point out that Ontario’s population is significantly larger than these provinces, making a smaller cabinet even more necessary.
The decision to maintain the current cabinet size also raises questions about the government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, as each cabinet minister receives a salary of over $165,000 per year.
In response, the government has stated that it will continue to find ways to reduce costs and streamline operations within the cabinet.
This announcement comes as the Ford government faces increasing pressure and scrutiny over its handling of the pandemic, including its decision to implement a province-wide lockdown and its vaccine rollout plan.
As the province continues to navigate through these challenging times, the decision to maintain the current cabinet size will undoubtedly be closely monitored and debated by both critics and supporters of the Ford government.
