For Immediate Release
August 24, 2005

ERNIE HARDEMAN ACCEPTS NEW ROLE AS CRITIC FOR MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND HOUSING

John Tory announces new critic appointments

(Queen’s Park, ON) – Opposition Leader John Tory today announced several changes to critic portfolios to re-align Progressive Conservative Caucus members with the government’s new ministerial portfolios and focus on aggressively holding the McGuinty Liberals to account for their broken promises and mismanagement of Ontario.

Ernie Hardemen MPP for Oxford is pleased to accept the new position of opposition critic for Municipal Affairs and Housing. “As a former mayor and municipal councillor, I understand the important role municipalities play in the economic success of our province,” stated Hardeman. “Having just attended the AMO conference and listening to dialogue on “Creating a New Municipal Landscape” I look forward to working with municipalities to further the goal of creating a better landscape for all of Ontario.”

“We have a strong team at Queen’s Park that will continue to work hard to hold the McGuinty Liberals to account,” said Tory. “I am pleased that many of our Caucus members will be getting more experience in new critic areas and through our rotating new people into the whip positions.”

Since returning to government as a member of the official opposition Ernie Hardeman held the position of Agriculture& Food critic and looks forward to the new challenges of this portfolio as critic for Municipal Affairs and Housing.

For more information contact:

Ernie Hardeman MPP Oxford
416-325-1239 – Queens Park
519-537-5222 – Woodstock

BACKGROUNDER

The following are the new critic positions for the Official Opposition:

Ted Arnott – Tourism
John Baird – Intergovernmental Affairs, Francophone Affairs
Toby Barrett – Agriculture and Food
Ted Chudleigh – Economic Development and Trade
Garfield Dunlop – Community Safety and Correctional Services
Jim Flaherty – Public Infrastructure Renewal
Ernie Hardeman – Municipal Affairs and Housing
Tim Hudak – Finance
Cam Jackson – Training Colleges and Universities, Research and Innovation, Seniors and Long-Term Care
Frank Klees – Education, Citizenship and Immigration
Gerry Martiniuk – Community and Social Services
Norm Miller – Natural Resources, Aboriginal Affairs
Julia Munro – Children and Youth Services, Culture
Bill Murdoch – Rural Affairs
John O’Toole – Transportation
Jerry Ouellette – Northern Development and Mines
Bob Runciman – Attorney General
Laurie Scott – Environment
Norm Sterling – Health Promotion, Democratic Renewal
Joe Tascona – Government Services
Jim Wilson – Labour
Elizabeth Witmer – Health, Women’s Issues
John Yakabuski – Energy

The following are other caucus member positions:
Bob Runciman – House Leader
Jim Wilson – Deputy House Leader
Norm Miller – Whip
Ted Chudleigh – Deputy Whip
John O’Toole – Deputy Whip