Doug Ford loses Ontario MPP to Pierre Poilievre’s federal campaign

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been dealt a political blow after a cabinet minister resigned on Thursday to join federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s team.

Parm Gill, the Minister of Red Tape Reduction, resigned from the Ontario government as the Milton MPP, is looking to jump back into federal politics. Gill served one term on Parliament Hill representing Brampton—Springdale until 2015 before joining the Progressive Conservative ranks in Ontario.

“After much discussion with my wife and family, I have informed Premier Ford that I am resigning from cabinet and my seat as MPP for Milton,” Gill said in a statement.

“It has been a privilege to work as the Minister of Red Tape Reduction and formerly the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. The hardworking people of Milton have given me the tremendous honour of being their representative in the Ontario Legislature.”

“I am motivated to continue to fight for the constituents of Milton by joining Pierre Poilievre’s common sense Conservative team in their efforts to defeat Justin Trudeau’s Liberal-NDP costly coalition.”

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Since the 2018 election, however, Gill has kept a low public profile, even as he served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism in the Ford government.

Gill’s departure potentially creates an opening for recently elected Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie who said she would consider running for a seat in the Ontario legislature if a sensible option came up.

While Premier Ford now has six months to call a by-election, conservative insiders have already started discussing potential candidates who would look to carry the PC party banner.

One name being floated by Tory insiders is former Federal MP Lisa Raitt who represented the Halton and Milton ridings federally for 10 years.

Raitt, sources said, has been interested in returning to politics and would be seen as a natural fit in Ford’s cabinet.

— More to come…