Scott getting briefed on portfolio this week 

 

By Chad Ingram 

Published July 5, 2018 

 

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott, Ontario’s new labour minister, was getting briefed on her portfolio this week. 

 

The province’s new PC majority government was sworn in on Friday, June 29, where it was announced that Scott, first elected in 2003, would serve as labour minister. 

“I’m very excited,” Scott said, “It’s a big job to do.” 

She was asked if, after so many years in opposition, there was any trepidation to her new, more prominent role. 

“It’s a whole different world being on the government side, I’m going to embrace it,” Scott said. 

Ministers are being briefed this week, with the legislature being reconvened for a special summer session on July 11. Scott said she imagined a speech from the throne would occur the following day, and said she was not aware how long the session would last. 

“It depends what we we need to do, legislatively,” she said. 

Premier Doug Ford has said that scrapping the province’s cap-and-trade program will be a priority during the summer session. 

 

In her labour portfolio, Scott said a priority would be dealing with the tariffs the U.S. government has levied on Canadian goods. 

“The elephant in the room right now are the trade wars that are going on with the States,” she said. “Premier Ford has said, and he’s started talking with governors that border us and have the most trade . . . and we are certainly making that a huge priority, in relations there.” 

Scott said there have already been some job losses in northern Ontario related to the tariffs. 

“That’s the most critical thing facing us right at the moment,” she said. 

 

Scott reclaimed her seat in the June 7 election with a commanding victory, taking 57 per cent of all votes cast in the riding.