The Honourable
Sylvia Jones
MPP
Jones in 2021
12th Deputy Premier of Ontario
Assumed office
June 24, 2022
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byChristine Elliott
Ontario Minister of Health
Assumed office
June 24, 2022
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byChristine Elliott
Solicitor General of Ontario[lower-alpha 1]
In office
November 5, 2018 – June 24, 2022
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byMichael Tibollo
Succeeded byMichael Kerzner
Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
In office
June 29, 2018 – November 5, 2018
PremierDoug Ford
Preceded byDaiene Vernile
Succeeded byMichael Tibollo
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Dufferin—Caledon
Assumed office
October 10, 2007
Preceded byRiding established
Personal details
Born1965 (age 58–59)
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpouseDavid Gillies
Children2
ResidenceDufferin County
Occupation
  • Politician
  • executive assistant

Sylvia Jones MPP (born c. 1965) is a Canadian politician who has served as the deputy premier of Ontario and Ontario minister of health since June 24, 2022. Jones sits as the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Dufferin—Caledon, representing the Progressive Conservative (PC) party, and has held her seat since she was first elected following the 2007 general election. She joined the provincial cabinet after the PCs formed government in 2018, and has been successively the minister of tourism, culture and sport, the minister of community safety and correctional services, and the solicitor general of Ontario.

Background

Jones grew up on her family's farm. She attended Fanshawe College, where she received a diploma in radio broadcasting. She worked as an executive assistant for former PC party leader John Tory. She and her husband David live in Dufferin County and are the parents of two children.[2]

Politics

Jones ran in the 2007 provincial election as the Progressive Conservative candidate in the new riding of Dufferin—Caledon. She was re-elected in 2011 and 2014.[3][4] The Ontario PCs were in opposition from the time of Jones' election to the 2018 provincial election.

In opposition

During her time in opposition, Jones introduced several private member's bills. These include the Protecting Vulnerable People Against Picketing Act, Criminal Record Checks for Volunteers Act, Social Assistance Statute Law Amendment Act, and the Aggregate Recycling Promotion Act. Only the Aggregate Recycling Promotion Act in 2014 made it past first reading. The bill made it to third reading before it died on the order paper when the 2014 election was called.[5] Another private member's, Bill 94, which would have ensured that Ontario Disability Support Program payments could not be scaled back as a result of Registered Disability Support Program contributions, was eventually adopted by the Liberal government through regulation.

She was named the co-deputy leader on September 10, 2015 following a shadow cabinet shuffle.

In government

The Ontario PC Party formed government following the 2018 election, with newly elected Premier Doug Ford appointing Jones as the minister of tourism, culture and sport.[6] In November, Jones took over as the minister of community safety and correctional services role.[7] Her title was changed to Solicitor General in April 2019 and the name of her ministry was also restored to Ministry of the Solicitor General, as it had been prior to 2002.[8]

As Solicitor General, Jones played a role in the PC government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, as the mandate of her portfolio includes overseeing policing and law enforcement.

COVID-19

Amid growing case numbers in 2021, the government moved to introduce a third province-wide shutdown. As part of the response, Jones announced on April 16, 2021 that she would be authorizing police and bylaw enforcement to require anyone who is not in a private residence to explain why they’re not at home and provide their home address, as well as pull people over while driving to ask why they are not at home.[9] The regulations raised concerns about a re-legalization of carding.[10] Indeed, the government experienced significant backlash with the new enforcement measures, with some commentators – such as the National Post's Randall Denley, a former PC party nominated candidate[11] – equating the province to a "police state".[12] After 21 police services across the province announced that they would refuse to enforce the new measures,[13] and round criticism in the media, Jones' government promptly amended the new regulation the next day and rescinded the new enforcement powers.[14]

Minister of Health and Deputy Premier

Following the 2022 provincial election, Premier Ford named Jones as the new deputy premier and minister of health, replacing Christine Elliott, who did not seek re-election.[15][16]

Cabinet Posts

Notes

  1. ↑ The position was known as the minister of community safety and correctional services until the title solicitor general was restored on April 4, 2019.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Martin-Robbins, Karen (2019-04-04). "Same job, older title: Doug Ford names Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones Solicitor General of Ontario". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  2. ↑ "Dufferin-Caledon votes". Caledon Enterprise. October 6, 2007. p. 1.
  3. ↑ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  4. ↑ Black, Debra (June 13, 2014). "Long-standing Conservatives re-elected". Toronto Star. p. GT10.
  5. ↑ Sylvia Jones. "Bill 56, Aggregate Recycling Promotion Act, 2014". Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
  6. ↑ "UPDATED: Dufferin Caledon MPP named minister of tourism, culture and sport". CaledonEnterprise.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  7. ↑ Sandy Lindsay. "Ford's Cabinet Shuffle sees second local MPP appointed as Minister | Saugeen Times". Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  8. ↑ Martin-Robbins, Karen (2019-04-04). "Same job, older title: Doug Ford names Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones Solicitor General of Ontario". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  9. ↑ "COVID-19: Provincial borders to close, outdoor amenities shuttered as Ontario announces new restrictions". ottawacitizen. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  10. ↑ "COVID-19: Ontario's temporary increased police powers raise concerns about random stops, carding". Global News. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  11. ↑ "Randall Denley: Doug Ford gives Ontario police-state tactics instead of COVID measures that actually work". nationalpost. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  12. ↑ "Ontario introduces new travel restrictions and police powers and some say it's a police state". www.blogto.com. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  13. ↑ "WARMINGTON: Ontario police chiefs say 'no thanks' to Ford's new COVID random stop law". torontosun. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  14. ↑ Perkel, Colin (2021-04-17). "Ontario walks back new pandemic police powers following widespread backlash". Toronto. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  15. ↑ Jones, Allison (2022-06-24). "Ford names new cabinet, with Jones as health minister and a role for his nephew". CP24. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  16. ↑ "Ontario Premier Doug Ford consults with Christine Elliott on new cabinet | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
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