By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton is stepping down from politics.
The Newbury-area native, who has held the riding for the past 12 years, is also leaving his provincial cabinet post as Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, making him the third cabinet minister in Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government to resign in recent weeks.
McNaughton made the announcement Sept. 22 in a Facebook post, saying he is taking a job in the private sector.
In his comments, McNaughton said it has been “the honour of a lifetime to serve the people of Ontario” leading the labour, immigration, training and skills development portfolio for more than four years.
He also thanked his constituents.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the people of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex,” McNaughton said. “It has been a privilege to have represented you since 2011.”
Ford’s government has been rocked recently by the so-called Greenbelt Scandal, which saw the province release portions of the environmentally sensitive greenbelt area to developers, some said to be personal friends of the premier. A probe by Ontario’s auditor general found the decision-making regarding the Greenbelt “favoured certain developers,” whose land on 15 properties could have a more than $8.3-billion increase in value.
On Sept. 21, Ford said he was backtracking on opening up the Greenbelt, admitting the government had made a mistake.
Even though McNaughton’s resignation came the following day, the MPP said it’s not connected to the Greenbelt issue.
“I realize that recent events will cause some to speculate about the reasons for my departure,” McNaughton wrote. “I want those people to know my decision is completely unrelated to those events.”
McNaughton said he supported Ford and thanked him for the many opportunities he was given, but said the decision is “the right one for me and my family.”
He also thanked his wife Kate and daughter Annie, who he called the “loves of my life” for supporting him through thick and thin.
McNaughton was first elected in 2011 and joined the provincial cabinet in 2018 as the Minister of Infrastructure, before taking on the high-profile role as the head of Ontario’s labour ministry.
A spokesman from McNaughton’s Strathroy constituency office said the office has been inundated with calls and emails voicing support for the 46-year-old politician.
Earlier this month, Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark, in the aftermath of the Greenbelt scandal, followed by Kaleed Rasheed, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, resigned.
