Lawyers are figuring prominently in the new Ontario cabinet that was sworn in June 24.
Madeleine Meilleur, who was first appointed Attorney General last March, has been re-confirmed as Attorney General and also continues in her role as Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.
Meilleur is being profiled in the July edition of the OBA’s Just Magazine.
Yasir Naqvi has been re-confirmed as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. He has also been handed the additional role of Government House Leader, which means he is responsible for shepherding the government’s entire legislative program through committees and the House.
Naqvi is well-known at the Ontario Bar Association and was once chair of the OBA’s Young Lawyers’ Division.
Bob Chiarelli has been re-confirmed as Minister of Energy.
David Zimmer has been re-confirmed as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.
The cabinet has four new members and there are now 23 ministries in the Ontario government.
Outside of cabinet, lawyer Lorenzo Berardinetti is Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General.
The two opposition caucuses each have one lawyer: Christine Elliot with the Official Opposition Progressive Conservatives and Jagmeet Singh with the NDP.
Singh has been appointed NDP critic for Attorney General as well as Government and Consumer Services. The PC caucus has not yet announced its critic responsibilities.