resignation

A long-time provincial cabinet minister is resigning.

Caroline Mulroney is stepping down as President of the Treasury Board and her seat at the Ontario Legislature as of June 5th.

Addressing the Legislature on Monday, Mulroney says it was a difficult decision to make.

“This was not an easy decision. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in my life, but it is the right one,” says Mulroney.

“It’s time for me to begin a new chapter. Serving this House has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”

In a letter posted on her Facebook page, Mulroney indicated that with the passing of her father, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and her children now attending university, she felt it was the right time to “step back from elected life and begin a new chapter.”

Mulroney was first elected to office in 2018 and was immediately named Attorney General by Premier Doug Ford.

She later became Minister of Transportation and Minister of Francophone Affairs.

Ford says Mulroney visited him at his home on Sunday to inform him of her decision.

“Caroline is a friend of ours. She has won three elections and served eight years. Now her kids are out in college and university, and she wants to spend time with the family,” says Ford.

“She is just a wonderful, down-to-earth person, and I think the world of her. I absolutely love her.”

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will serve as interim Treasury Board President.

Ford is holding close to his chest whether he will shuffle his cabinet to make a more permanent appointment.

“We’ll just run through the different positions, and we’ll go from there,” says Ford.

“I’ve never seen a more talented group of people in every single position ever in politics, federally, municipally, provincially. We have a stacked line-up. I’m blessed. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have such quality people.”