Toronto:
Two more Indo-Canadian politicians have been appointed as ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle in Canada’s Ontario province, taking the representation of the neighborhood members in the Executive Council to 3.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday reshuffled his Cabinet, with former finance minister Rod Phillips – who resigned from his post following a Caribbean getaway in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic – returning as the new minister of extended-term care.
The reshuffle comes just below a year just before next June”s provincial election.
In the preceding ministry, there was one Indo-Canadian – Prabhmeet Sarkariya, who was the associate minister of modest enterprise and red tape reduction.
Mr Sarkariya, 30, has now been promoted to take more than as president of the Treasury Board.
He is the initial turban-wearing Sikh Cabinet minister in Ontario.
“It is an honour to be sworn in as #Ontario”s President of the Treasury Board. I am dedicated to working hard with Premier @fordnation and my colleagues to support Ontarians as we continue to tackle the #COVID19 pandemic & work towards our recovery! ,” Mr Sarkariya tweeted taking more than the new function.
Mr Sarkaria’s parents immigrated from Punjab, India in the 1980s.
Parm Gill, 47, took on the new portfolio of citizenship and multiculturalism.
Mr Gill was born in Moga, Punjab. He moved to Canada at a young age.
“Thank you Premier @fordnation for this great honour and thank you to my community of Milton for allowing me to represent you each and every day as part of this Provincial Government,” he tweeted soon after his appointment.
“Who would have thought a young boy who immigrated from India to Canada at a young age, raised by a single mother, would today be sworn in as Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism for the Province of Ontario,” Mr Gill added.
Nina Tangri was appointed associate minister of modest enterprise and red tape.
”Excited to be sworn in as the Associate Minister of Small Business & Red Tape Reduction. Thank you to Premier @fordnation for his self-confidence in me and to my family and employees for their continuous help,” she tweeted.