Premier of Ontario

Premier of Ontario
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Post	Premier of Ontario
Incumbent	Doug Ford
Incumbentsince	2018-06-29
Style	The Honourable
Residence	Queen's Park
Appointer	Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Termlength	At the pleasure of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Formation	1867
Inaugural	John Sandfield Macdonald

Premier of Ontario The Premier of Ontario is the head of the executive of Ontario and the leader of the party commanding the confidence of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The office interacts with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, cabinet ministers such as the Minister of Finance and the Attorney General of Ontario, as well as municipal leaders including the Mayor of Toronto and regional chairs. Premiers frequently engage with federal counterparts such as the Prime Minister of Canada and premiers from other provinces at meetings like the Council of the Federation.

Role and Responsibilities

The premier directs provincial policy through coordination with cabinet colleagues including the Minister of Health (Ontario), the Minister of Education (Ontario), the Minister of Transportation (Ontario), and the Treasury Board of Ontario. Responsibilities include advising the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on appointments to bodies such as the Ontario Court of Justice and Crown corporations like Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation. The premier represents Ontario at intergovernmental forums such as the First Ministers' conferences (Canada) and bilateral talks with leaders like the Premier of Quebec and the Premier of British Columbia.

Selection and Tenure

A premier is typically the leader of a political party represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario—for example, leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, the Ontario New Democratic Party, or smaller parties. Party leadership is determined by party rules and contests such as leadership conventions comparable to those that chose leaders like Kathleen Wynne or Andrea Horwath. The premier remains in office as long as they retain the confidence of the assembly; notable confidence events include the 1985 defeat of the Frank Miller government and the 2018 defeat that brought Doug Ford to power.

Powers and Functions

The premier advises the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on prorogation and dissolution of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and on the appointment of cabinet ministers such as the Deputy Premier of Ontario. The premier oversees appointments to advisory bodies and tribunals like the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and appoints deputies to ministries including the Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario). Fiscal leadership is exercised through the provincial budget presented by the Minister of Finance (Ontario) and shaped by policy teams including the Ontario Public Service senior bureaucrats. The premier also conducts public communications alongside figures like the Leader of the Opposition (Ontario) and municipal leaders such as Rob Ford's successors.

Relationship with Provincial and Federal Governments

Premiers negotiate with the Prime Minister of Canada over issues such as fiscal transfers, healthcare funding involving the Canada Health Transfer, and infrastructure programs like the Investing in Canada Plan. Interprovincial cooperation occurs via bodies such as the Council of the Federation and through bilateral accords with provinces including Alberta and Quebec. Federal-provincial disputes have involved premiers such as Ontario's Mike Harris and federal leaders like Jean Chrétien over matters like transfers and fiscal arrangements. Premiers also interact with federal institutions including the Supreme Court of Canada when constitutional issues arise.

History and Notable Premiers

Since Confederation in 1867 premiers have included early figures like John Sandfield Macdonald and controversial leaders such as George Drew and Leslie Frost. Influential twentieth-century premiers included Mitchell Hepburn, Bill Davis, and David Peterson. Reformist and polarizing figures have included Mike Harris, Kathleen Wynne, and Doug Ford. Premier tenures have intersected with major events such as the Great Depression, the Second World War, the implementation of policies like the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, and constitutional debates involving the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord.

Office and Support Structure

The premier's office is supported by staff within the Office of the Premier (Ontario), political advisers often drawn from party apparatuses such as the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario or the Ontario Liberal Party, and by civil servants in the Executive Council of Ontario and central agencies like the Management Board of Cabinet. The premier chairs cabinet meetings in facilities at Queen's Park and relies on communications teams that liaise with media outlets including the Toronto Star and broadcasters such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. When travelling, premiers coordinate with provincial ministries, local officials such as the Mayor of Ottawa, and federal counterparts including the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada).

Category:Politics of Ontario Category:Ontario ministries