Neil Lumsden, who serves as the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek, was recently named to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Cabinet for a second time.
Lumsden was named Ford’s Minister of Sport.
When Lumsden was first elected in 2022, he was named Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport, but that was switched slightly to simply Minister of Sport after a 2024 Cabinet shuffle.
After the 2024 shuffle, MPP Stan Cho, who represents the riding of Willowdale, became the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Gaming after being moved from his previous Minister of Long-Term Care portfolio.
A Government of Ontario press release states that Ford’s Cabinet is “an experienced team that will deliver on the government’s mandate to do whatever is necessary to protect Ontario in the face of tariffs from the United States, while building a stronger, more competitive and resilient economy.”
That theme of “Protecting Ontario” also loomed large in the government’s Speech from the Throne, which opened the first session of the 44th Parliament of Ontario on April 15.
In the speech, the Ontario government promised to “protect Ontario from economic uncertainty” by “unleashing” the Ontario economy, building more infrastructure, protecting Ontario workers, keeping costs down, protecting Ontario borders and communities, and investing in healthcare.
Ford once again named a 37-person Cabinet, the largest in Ontario’s history.
When Ford was first elected in 2018, his Cabinet only had 21 members, but that number has been steadily increasing and went from 36 to 37 after his 2024 Cabinet shuffle.
That has led to criticism from organizations like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who have accused the Ford government of “bloat.”
Franco Terrazzano, the Federal Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said at the time that the premier “is addicted to big government.”
He added that Ford “likes to talk a big game about fiscal responsibility,” but “has trouble walking the walk.”
Terrazzano noted that each new Cabinet portfolio that Ford creates costs Ontario taxpayers more as it comes with a pay raise for the named MPP, an office with ministry staffers, and additional government bureaucrats.
In addition to the Cabinet, Ford also announced his team of parliamentary assistants who are each tasked with supporting a Cabinet Minister.
Newly elected MPP Monica Ciriello, who represents Hamilton Mountain, was named the Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General.
Ciriello was formerly the Manager of Municipal Law and Licensing at the City of Hamilton and will now assist Attorney General Doug Downey.
Hamilton’s other PC Party MPP, Donna Skelly, was elected to serve as Speaker and will take on that non-partisan role in the 44th Parliament.
Meanwhile, Hamilton’s two Ontario NDP MPPs were also given a role for their party in the Legislature as part of the official Opposition.
MPP Sandy Shaw, who represents Hamilton West – Ancaster – Dundas, was named to NDP Leader Marit Stiles’ Shadow Cabinet as the Shadow Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Gaming.
Newly elected MPP Robin Lennox, who is a physician and replaced Sarah Jama as the provincial representative for Hamilton Centre, was named the Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions with responsibility for Primary Care.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
