Ottawa MPP Lisa MacLeod out of Ford cabinet, taking break to address health
Former Ontario cabinet minister Lisa MacLeod has announced she is "temporarily taking a breather" from her position to address and improve her health, just hours after she was left out of Premier Doug Ford's new cabinet.
The Nepean MPP’s exclusion means there is only one cabinet minister from Ottawa in the new Progressive Conservative government. Kanata-Carleton MPP Merrilee Fullerton will remain the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.
Ford and his new cabinet ministers were sworn-in at Queen's Park Friday morning, three weeks after winning a second consecutive majority mandate. There is no seat for MacLeod, the long-time MPP who won a sixth term at Queen's Park in the June 2 election.
In a statement shortly after the new cabinet was sworn in at Queen's Park, MacLeod said she is taking some time off to "address and improve my health."
"The last couple of years have been difficult for many people. I know I am not alone in this regard. In my case, my mental and physical health and well-being has been greatly impacted," MacLeod said on Twitter.
"While I love waking up every morning to work hard for the people of Nepean and Ontario now is the time to work on my healing. I need some time to rest and recuperate. This will be my focus over the next few months."
MacLeod thanked Premier Ford for his "support, his kindness and his faith" in her over the last few years, and wished support to the new cabinet.
In a message to her constituents in Nepean, MacLeod said they may not see much of her this summer "as I focus on healing."
"This is neither good-bye nor a route to another job. My focus for the next little while will not be on politics but rather on health and healing," MacLeod said. "While temporarily taking a breather is not a decision I have taken lightly, it is the right one to make now."
MacLeod served as the minister responsible for children, community and social services at the start of the Ford government's first term, before being shuffled to the minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Cultural Industries in 2019.
During the final week of the campaign, Ford expressed frustration with riding allowances for MPP from the local riding association.
MacLeod received $44,000 over three years as an MPP allowance from her riding.
Ford said during a campaign stop in Ottawa on May 30 that although the money was allowed, he was “frustrated” when he heard about it and wanted to see the practice ended.
On election night, MacLeod's campaign prohibited reporters from entering her campaign headquarters for her acceptance speech to supporters, and she did not take questions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.