Ontario’s minister of citizenship and multiculturalism Michael Ford, who is also Premier Doug Ford’s nephew, has announced he is taking a leave from his cabinet role for health reasons.
On Friday, Michael Ford’s office released a statement confirming he would be stepping back from cabinet “effective immediately” but planned to return to Queen’s Park within a couple of months.
“Earlier today, I spoke with the Premier and informed him of my decision to take a leave of absence from my Cabinet responsibilities as Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, effective immediately,” Michael Ford wrote.
“This decision was made after much thought, and while it weighs very heavily on me, it is necessary for me to prioritize my health and well-being over the next couple of months.”
A spokesperson for Michael Ford clarified the leave would also mean stepping back temporarily from his duties as an MPP.
Michael Ford was first elected to serve as an MPP for York-South Weston in 2022, snatching the seat from the Ontario New Democrats with a little under 1,000 votes more than the opposition.
He was quickly appointed to cabinet in charge of the citizenship and multiculturalism file.
Premier Ford faced questions over appointing Ford, as his nephew, to cabinet but defended the decision in 2022, arguing the former city councillor and school board trustee had “extensive experience” that qualified him for the role.
“I think he’ll do an extremely good job,” Doug Ford said at the time. “He has a lot of knowledge and he’s been an elected official probably longer than more than 60 per cent of our caucus.”
He noted the ward his nephew represented on city council, Etobicoke North, is “probably one of the most multicultural areas in the entire province.”
— with files from The Canadian Press