As his government swings between ups and downs in popularity – in recent times lower than high – Ontario Premier Doug Ford has decided to make a reshuffle of the government.

But what caught the eye was the return of former Finance minister Rod Phillips (see photo above)  – who resigned from his post after a holiday to the Caribbean during the Covid-19 pandemic – appointed as the new minister of Long Term Care. Ford has decided to put to one side the controversy that has characterized the work of Merrilee Fullerton (in the photo above), for her poor management of Covid in nursing homes. Fullerton will now serve as minister for Children, Community and Social Services.

However, those who have called for her resignation from the LTC, do not agree with the move: they say that the minister lacks “empathy, compassion and competence” and even in this new ministry she will do nothing good. Fullerton, for her part, showing decidedly little tact and just as little sensitivity, tweeted “My gratitude goes out to the many wonderful people who helped repair, rebuild, and advance long-term care in Ontario.” Nursing home residents and their family members have a completely different picture of the situation in the sector, certainly, the one put to the test by the pandemic with the deaths of 3,782 elderly people. And the problems in these structures are still on the agenda.

Nor is Phillips’ return welcome: after his holiday in St Barts last December came to light, he resigned as Finance minister. While residents of the province were being asked by the government not to travel due to Covid, Phillips turned to the beautiful holiday resort and from there sent pre-recorded Christmas greetings, photos with a fake Zoom background, and tweets that gave the impression that he was home. A nose socket, in full rule, in short. But Ford has now decided to put it back on the game.

It’s a reshuffle move that is undoubtedly part of the government’s tidying-up just under a year after the next provincial election: the shuffle seems to move long-time MPs from rural constituencies who are supposed to represent safe seats for the PC and assign junior cabinet posts to MPP’s in urban and suburban neighbourhoods that may be more electorally vulnerable.

Five ministers – including former Environment minister Jeff Yurek and former Infrastructure minister Laurie Scott – have been excluded from the cabinet while several younger members of the caucus, meanwhile, have been promoted to larger portfolios.

David Piccini becomes minister for the Environment and Kinga Surma takes over the Ministry of Infrastructure. Parm Gill takes on the new portfolio of Citizenship and multiculturalism, the first minister in charge of this post. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria is the new chairman of the Treasury Board, which has been separated from Finance, while Lisa Thompson replaces Ernie Hardeman at the ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Health Minister Christine Elliott, Education Minister Stephen Lecce, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, Attorney General Doug Downey and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy were reconfirmed by Ford as head of their important ministries. Bethlenfalvy also takes responsibility for the digital government strategy.

These reconfirmations have made many people turn their noses up. Targeted in particular is Minister Lecce who is leading the turbulent world of school: the president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario Sam Hammond, among others, has had words to cyanide for both Ford and Lecce. “The Premier and the Education Minister have a long history of ignorance and disrespect for partners in the school sector – Hammond said – indifference is intentional and, unfortunately, has led to disastrous failures that continue to negatively affect students, educators and other education professionals across Ontario, failures that we cannot ignore.”