# Peterson ministry

The Peterson ministry was the combined cabinet (formally the Executive Council of Ontario) that governed Ontario from June 26, 1985, to October 1, 1990. It was led by the 20th Premier of Ontario, David Peterson. The ministry was made up of members of the Ontario Liberal Party, which commanded a first a minority and later a majority in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
The ministry replaced the Miller ministry following the 1985 Ontario general election, which resulted in the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario winning a plurality of seats, but ultimately failing to secure the confidence of the legislature. The Peterson ministry governed through most of the 33rd Parliament of Ontario and all of the 34th Parliament of Ontario.
After the New Democratic Party secured a majority in the 1990 Ontario general election, Peterson resigned, and was succeeded as Premier of Ontario by Bob Rae.

## History
### The Peterson Ministry is formed

Premier Peterson assembled a cabinet of 23 ministers, which was sworn in on June 26, 1985, shortly after the Miller ministry fell to a vote of non-confidence in the Ontario Legislative Assembly.
Elinor Caplan, was the first Jewish woman to serve in ministry in Canada, at either the federal or provincial level
There were 26 portfolios at the beginning of the Peterson ministry (including the Premiership). There were several instances of ministerial portfolio reorganisation as Peterson took over from Miller:
* Three portfolios were eliminated, as the Provincial Secretariats of Justice, Social Development, and Resource Development that had been created in the early 1970s during the Davis ministry were terminated.
* Solicitor General and Ministry of Correctional Services were combined into "Solicitor General and Ministry of Correctional Services"
* Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing was divided into a "Ministry of Housing" and a "Ministry of Municipal Affairs"
* Ministry of Northern Affairs was renamed "Ministry of Mines and Northern Affairs" (and then again renamed "Ministry of Northern Development and Mines" in November).
* Ministry of Industry and Trade was renamed "Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology."
Within a year, Premier Peterson would create a new portfolio:
* Ministry of Financial Institutions was created April 1, 1986.
Thus by mid-1986 the number of cabinet members would thus dwindle to 21, even as the number of portfolios grew to 27.

## 1987 Post-election Shuffle

The Peterson ministry underwent a significant restructuring following the 1987 Ontario general election, in which the Ontario Liberal Party improved from minority status to a majority, securing 95 out of 130 seats. A significantly larger caucus portended a significantly larger cabinet, and an end to the situation in which so many cabinet members had to helm multiple portfolios.
None of the incumbent cabinet ministers lost their seats in the election, though three were dismissed by Peterson to the backbenches.
There were several instances of ministerial portfolio reorganisation:
* Ministry of Citizenship and Culture and Ministry of Transportation and Communication were reorganised into Ministry of Citizenship, Ministry of Culture and Communication, and Ministry of Transportation.
* Ministry of Northern Development and Mines was divided into Ministry of Northern Development and Ministry of Mines.
* Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services was divided into "Solicitor General" and "Minister of Correctional Services".
Thus the number of portfolios increased to 30, as did the number of cabinet members.

## 1989 Midterm Shuffle

There was one instance of a ministerial portfolio reorganisation:
* Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Ministry of Housing was combined into "Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing".
The number of women would fall to five, but at last the Minister Responsible for Women's Issues would for the first time actually be a woman.
Thus, as the election of 1990 approached, the Peterson ministry contained 25 cabinet members in 29 portfolios.

## Election of 1990

Alas, the Liberal Party lost 59 seats, falling to 36, surrendering the majority to the NDP, and the Peterson ministry was forced to resign.

## Summary

There were 38 people who served in the Peterson ministry.
Eight were women.
At no point was the ministry all-white.

## List of ministers

Peterson Ministry by Leadership Position :
| Position | Minister | Tenure | Tenure |
| Position | Minister | Start | End |
| Premier of Ontario | David Peterson | June 26, 1985 | October 1, 1990 |
| Deputy Premier of Ontario | vacant | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Deputy Premier of Ontario | Robert Nixon | September 29, 1987 | October 1, 1990 |
| House Leader | Robert Nixon | June 26, 1985 | July 31, 1987 |
| House Leader | Sean Conway | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| House Leader | Chris Ward | August 2, 1989 | August 2, 1990 |
Peterson ministry by portfolio :
| Portfolio | Minister | Tenure | Tenure |
| Portfolio | Minister | Start | End |
| Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet | Elinor Caplan | June 26, 1985 | June 16, 1986 |
| Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet | Robert Nixon (Interim) | June 16, 1986 | September 29, 1987 |
| Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet | Murray Elston | September 29, 1987 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Agriculture and Food | Jack Riddell | June 26, 1985 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Agriculture and Food | David Ramsay | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Attorney General | Ian Scott | June 26, 1985 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Citizenship | Lily Oddie Munro | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Citizenship | Gerry Phillips | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Citizenship | Bob Wong | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Colleges and Universities | Greg Sorbara | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Colleges and Universities | Lyn McLeod | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Colleges and Universities | Sean Conway | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Community and Social Services | John Sweeney | June 26, 1985 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Community and Social Services | Charles Beer | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations | Monte Kwinter | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations | Bill Wrye | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations | Greg Sorbara | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Correctional Services | David Ramsay | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Correctional Services | Richard Patten | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Culture and Communication | Lily Oddie Munro | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Culture and Communication | Christine Hart | August 2, 1989 | May 30, 1990 |
| Minister of Culture and Communication | Hugh O'Neil | June 5, 1990 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Education | Sean Conway | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Education | Chris Ward | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Education | Sean Conway | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Energy | Vincent Kerrio | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Energy | Bob Wong | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Energy | Lyn McLeod | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of the Environment | Jim Bradley | June 26, 1985 | October 1, 1990 |
| Treasurer and Minister of Economics | Robert Nixon | June 26, 1985 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Financial Institutions | Monte Kwinter | April 1, 1986 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Financial Institutions | Robert Nixon | September 29, 1987 | August 16, 1988 |
| Minister of Financial Institutions | Murray Elston | August 16, 1988 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Government Services | Elinor Caplan | June 26, 1985 | June 16, 1986 |
| Minister of Government Services | Sean Conway | June 16, 1986 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Government Services | Richard Patten | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Government Services | Chris Ward | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Health | Murray Elston | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Health | Elinor Caplan | September 29, 1987 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs | David Peterson | June 26, 1985 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology | Hugh O'Neil | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology | Monte Kwinter | September 29, 1987 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Labour | Bill Wrye | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Labour | Greg Sorbara | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Labour | Gerry Phillips | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs | Bernard Grandmaître | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs | John Eakins | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs | merged into Municipal Affairs and Housing | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Housing | Alvin Curling | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Housing | Chaviva Hošek | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Housing | merged into Municipal Affairs and Housing | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing | John Sweeney | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Natural Resources | Vincent Kerrio | June 26, 1985 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Natural Resources | Lyn McLeod | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Northern Development and Mines | René Fontaine | June 26, 1985 | June 26, 1986 |
| Minister of Northern Development and Mines | David Peterson | June 26, 1986 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Northern Development | René Fontaine | September 29, 1987 | August 8, 1990 |
| Minister of Mines | Sean Conway | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Mines | Hugh O'Neil | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs | Bernard Grandmaître | June 26, 1985 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs | Charles Beer | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister Responsible for Native Affairs | Ian Scott | June 26, 1985 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister Responsible for Race Relations and Ontario Human Rights Commission | Gerry Phillips | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister Responsible for Race Relations and Ontario Human Rights Commission | Bob Wong | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister Responsible for Women's Issues | Ian Scott | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister Responsible for Women's Issues | Greg Sorbara | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister Responsible for Women's Issues | Mavis Wilson | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister Responsible for Anti-Drug Strategy | Ken Black | August 2, 1989 | June 28, 1990 |
| Minister of Revenue | Robert Nixon | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Revenue | Bernard Grandmaître | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Revenue | Remo Mancini | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Ministry of Skills Development | Greg Sorbara | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Ministry of Skills Development | Alvin Curling | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Ministry of Skills Development | Sean Conway | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Minister of Tourism and Recreation | John Eakins | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Hugh O'Neil | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Tourism and Recreation | Ken Black | August 2, 1989 | June 28, 1990 |
| Minister of Transportation | Ed Fulton | June 26, 1985 | August 2, 1989 |
| Minister of Transportation | Bill Wrye | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Ministers Without Portfolio | Tony Ruprecht | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Ministers Without Portfolio | Ron Van Horne | June 26, 1985 | September 29, 1987 |
| Ministers Without Portfolio | Remo Mancini | September 29, 1987 | August 2, 1989 |
| Ministers Without Portfolio | Mavis Wilson | September 29, 1987 | October 1, 1990 |
| Ministers Without Portfolio | Shirley Collins | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Ministers Without Portfolio | Gilles Morin | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |
| Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services | Ken Keyes | June 26, 1985 | December 3, 1986 |
| Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services | Ian Scott (interim) | December 3, 1986 | January 7, 1987 |
| Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services | Ken Keyes | January 7, 1987 | September 29, 1987 |
| Solicitor General | Joan Smith | September 29, 1987 | June 6, 1989 |
| Solicitor General | Ian Scott (interim) | June 6, 1989 | August 2, 1989 |
| Solicitor General | Steven Offer | August 2, 1989 | October 1, 1990 |