No reinstatement for former mines minister

It seems that Ontario Premier David Peterson will continue as acting minister of the province’s ministry of northern development and mines for an unspecified period.

There had been speculation that Mr Peterson might reinstate Rene Fontaine, who resigned as the department’s minister last summer after being found in a conflict-of-interest situation, but Mr Fontaine has been named instead parliamentary assistant to the ministry of tourism and recreation.

The Ontario premier has carried the mines portfolio since about last July. A spokesman for the ministry declined to speculate on how much longer Mr Peterson would carry on with it.

The latter has however appointed David Ramsay, a Liberal MPP from northern Ontario (who defected from the New Democratic Party to join the Liberal ranks), as assistant for mines. “We welcome that,” the ministry spokesman said. “The premier needs new legs in that portfolio.”