Ontario MP for York-Simcoe Caroline Mulroney and Premier Doug Ford speak at the Innisfil Police Station in Innisfil, Ontario, in October, 2022.Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press
Caroline Mulroney is resigning from Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet and from her seat in the Ontario legislature, early next month, she announced Monday.
The departure of the province’s Treasury Board President – daughter of late prime minister Brian Mulroney and one of the highest-profile members of Mr. Ford’s inner circle – will trigger a by-election in her riding of York-Simcoe, north of Toronto, and likely a cabinet shuffle at a later date.
In a letter addressed to her constituents released Monday, Ms. Mulroney pointed to two events in her life that led to her decision, which she said was not made lightly.
“Two years ago, I lost my father. Last year, my husband Andrew and I became empty nesters. These are the kinds of moments that clarify what matters,” wrote Ms. Mulroney, a mother of four, who is married to business executive Andrew Lapham.
“Together, they have led me to the conclusion that now is the right time to step back from elected life and begin a new chapter, one I am genuinely excited about.”
Her departure will be effective on June 5, after the Ontario legislature rises for the summer.
Mr. Ford’s office said in a statement Monday that Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will take over Ms. Mulroney’s Treasury Board role on an “interim basis” when she leaves government.
Ms. Mulroney was first elected in 2018 when Mr. Ford won his initial majority government and has served in the Premier’s cabinet for the entirety of her eight years in elected office, including as Attorney-General and Transportation Minister. Along with her Treasury Board duties, she is also Minister of Francophone Affairs.
Ms. Mulroney, who grew up in the public eye during her father’s nine-year tenure as prime minister, also ran for leader of the Progressive Conservatives in 2018, losing to Mr. Ford.
She also endorsed federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during last year’s federal election.
Her decision to leave provincial politics is taking place at a critical time for Mr. Ford, who has been battling recent controversies including the purchase and hasty sale of a $28.9-million private jet and changes to freedom-of-information laws.
The Premier will now have two by-elections to call, including in Toronto’s Scarborough Southwest, which was vacated when former Ontario NDP deputy leader Doly Begum quit to run for the federal Liberals.
In her letter, Ms. Mulroney said she informed Mr. Ford on Sunday of her decision to resign. A source close to Ms. Mulroney said she spoke to the Premier in person at his home in Etobicoke, in west Toronto. The Globe is not naming the source as they are not authorized to speak publicly about internal discussions.
In a statement, Mr. Ford said Ontario has benefited from Ms. Mulroney’s “calm and steady leadership in cabinet,” and said she leaves behind a record that she can be “immensely proud of,” including funding for the largest expansion of public transit in North America and “disciplined fiscal policies” that keep the economy competitive while investing in critical front-line services.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford goes over his briefing notes with Caroline Mulroney at Queen's Park in Toronto in February, 2023.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
“Caroline is more than a colleague: she is a close personal friend. I will miss seeing her sitting across from me at the cabinet table and in caucus meetings,” Mr. Ford said.
“Politics is in Caroline’s blood. The Ontario PC Party and our conservative movement will no doubt continue to benefit from her ideas and ideals. Here’s to an exciting next chapter for Caroline and her family.”
In a portion of the letter addressed directly to Mr. Ford, Ms. Mulroney said it has been an honour to serve in his cabinet.
“Through the pandemic, your steady leadership gave Ontarians confidence when they needed it most. When trade pressures threatened our economy and our workers, you stood firm,” she wrote.
She said she was proud to have worked with him on a number of files, including transit and highway infrastructure, establishing community justice centres and advancements for Ontario’s francophone community, as well as together “providing steady fiscal stewardship through a period of significant economic uncertainty.”
“Thank you for your trust, your friendship, and your unwavering commitment to this province. And keep working on your French. I know you can do it!” she wrote to the Premier, who speaks often of taking French lessons.
In her letter, she also thanks Ontario’s francophone community, her riding association, her PC caucus and cabinet colleagues, her team and the public service, as well as her family, including her husband, her mother, Mila Mulroney, and her brothers, Ben, Mark and Nicolas.
“There is an old line in politics that the worst day in elected life is better than the best day outside of it. I’m not sure that’s true, but I do know that I will miss the people I have worked with over the past eight years more than you know,” she wrote.
“The people I have worked alongside, including more than a few friends on the opposition benches, have made me a better person. The energy of Queen’s Park is one I hope I will carry with me forever.”