The Executive Council of Ontario (informally, and more commonly, the Cabinet of Ontario) plays an important role in the Government of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system.

A council of ministers of the Crown chaired by the Premier of Ontario, the Executive Council, almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, advises the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on how to exercise the executive functions of the Ontario Crown. The members of the council are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, on the advice of his or her Premier; though the Lieutenant Governor does not generally attend council meetings, directives issued by the viceroy on the advice of his or her ministers are said to be ordered by the Governor-in-Council. Ministers hold the honorific prefix "The Honourable" while members of the council.

The cabinet is thus similar in structure and role to the federal Queen's Privy Council for Canada, though smaller in size, and, whereas the federal cabinet is actually a committee of the Queen's Privy Council, the Executive Council of Ontario and Cabinet of Ontario are one and the same. Also unlike the Queen's Privy Council, members of the Ontario Executive Council are not appointed for life, and are not entitled to post nominal letters due to their position.

Most cabinet ministers are the head of a ministry, but this is not always the case. The Lieutenant Governor, advised by the Premier, determines which portfolios will be created. It is then up to the new minister to organize his or her department, and to present legislation for the new ministry if none exists. The most important Cabinet post after that of the Premier (who is officially known as President of the Executive Council) is Minister of Finance, followed by the health portfolio, which has a vast budget and is of central political import. Other powerful portfolios include Education and Energy.

Current cabinet

The Cabinet was changed on October 30, 2007 following the re-election of the Liberals in the general election earlier that month, June 20 2008 and again on September 18 2008.

Lieutenant-Governor
His Honour The Honourable David C. Onley	(2007-)
Portfolio	Minister
Premier of Ontario	(List)	Dalton McGuinty	(2003-)
Deputy Premier of Ontario	(List)	George Smitherman	(2006-)
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs	(List)	Brad Duguid	(2008-)
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs	(List)	Leona Dombrowsky	(2005-)
Attorney General of Ontario	(List)	Chris Bentley	(2007-)
Minister of Children and Youth Services       and Minister responsible for Women's Issues	(List)	Deb Matthews	(2007-)
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration	(List)	Michael Chan	(2007-)
Minister of Community and Social Services       and Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs	(List)	Madeleine Meilleur	(2006-)
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services	(List)	Rick Bartolucci	(2007-)
Minister of Culture       and Minister Responsible for Seniors	(List)	Aileen Carroll	(2007-)
Minister of Economic Development       and Government House Leader	(List)	Michael Bryant	(2008-)
Minister of Education	(List)	Kathleen Wynne	(2006-)
Minister Without Portfolio       and Chair of Cabinet	(List)	Gerry Phillips	(2008-)
Minister of the Environment	(List)	John Gerretsen	(2007-)
Minister of Finance       and Chair of Management Board of Cabinet	(List)	Dwight Duncan	(2007-)
Minister of Government Services	(List)	Ted McMeekin	(2007-)
Minister Energy and Infrastructure	(List)	George Smitherman	(2008-)
Minister of Health Promotion	(List)	Margarett Best	(2007-)
Minister of International Trade and Investment	(List)	Sandra Pupatello	(2008-)
Minister of Labour	(List)	Peter Fonseca	(2008-)
Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet	(List)	Dwight Duncan	(2007-)
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing	(List)	Jim Watson	(2007-)
Minister of Natural Resources	(List)	Donna Cansfield	(2007-)
Minister of Northern Development and Mines	(List)	Michael Gravelle	(2007-)
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care	(List)	David Caplan	(2008-)
Minister of Research and Innovation	(List)	John Wilkinson	(2007-)
Minister of Revenue	(List)	Dwight Duncan	(2008-)
Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship	(List)	Harinder Takhar	(2006-)
Minister of Tourism and Recreation	(List)       and Deputy Government House Leader	Monique Smith	(2008-)
Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities	(List)	John Milloy	(2007-)
Minister of Transportation	(List)	Jim Bradley	(2007-)

Former Ministries

• Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (-2008)
• Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (-2008)
• Ministry of Energy (-2008)
• Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (1994-2002)
• Ministry of Children's Services (10/2003 - 03/2004)
• Ministry of Citizenship (1987-1995; 2001-2003)
• Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation (1995-2001)
• Ministry of Colleges and Universities (1972-1993)
• Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services (2002-2003)
• Ministry of Consumer and Business Services (2003-2005)
• Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (1972-2001)
• Ministry of Correctional Services (1972-1993; 1999-2002)
• Ministry of Culture and Communications (1987-1993)
• Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation (1993-1995)
• Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism (1995-1999)
• Ministry of Education and Training (1993-1999)
• Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology (1997-2002)
• Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation (2002-2003)
• Ministry of Environment and Energy (1993-1997; 2002)
• Ministry of Financial Institutions (1986-1993)
• Ministry of Health (1972-1999)
• Ministry of Housing (1973-1981; 1985-1995)
• Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology (1985-1993)
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs (1985-1995; 10/2003 - 03/2004)
• Ministry of Public Safety and Security (2002-2003)
• Ministry of Skills Development (1985-1993)
• Ministry of the Solicitor General (1972-1993; 1999-2002)
• Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services (1993-1999)
• Ministry of Tourism (1999-2001)
• Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation (2001-2002)
• Ministry of Transportation and Communications (1971-1987)
• Ministry of Treasury and Economics (1978-1993)
• Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario (from 1961 Provincial Secretary and Minister of Citizenship) (list) (1867-1975)

References

http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/team/default.asp

See also

• Order of precedence in Ontario

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