TORONTO – Charles Sousa became the second MPP on Friday to resign his cabinet position and hint at a possible leadership run.
Sousa followed MPP Eric Hoskins by just a few hours, releasing a statement saying he would be resigning his position – a prerequisite to running for the leadership position.
Much like Hoskins, Sousa said he wanted to play a role in the renewal of the Liberal party.
“As we embark in our party’s renewal process, I hope to continue to serve Ontarians in the spirit of passion and integrity the premier has exemplified during his time in office,” Sousa said in a statement.
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Sousa is currently the MPP for Mississauga South and until Friday morning, served as the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Minister Responsible for the 2015 Pan Am Games.
Prior to his position as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Sousa was the Minister of Labour from January 2010 to October 2011.
While handling the labour file, Sousa lead the government’s introduction of a Chief Prevention Officer – a position that tries to prevent workplace accidents.
In 2008, Sousa introduced a private members bill – the Fire Protection and Prevention Amendment Act – which implemented safety measures for Ontario’s firefighters. The bill received unanimous support in the Ontario legislature.
Before entering politics, Sousa spent decades in the private sector both owning his own financial services firm and working at a large bank.
In 2009, Sousa introduced another successful private members bill claiming a need for all elementary and secondary school students to be taught financial literacy.
Sousa spent more than 20 years with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) as a director in several roles including Director of Business Development – Commercial Financial Services and Director of Government & Community Affairs.
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