Michael Ford announces temporary departure from role as Ontario cabinet minister

Ontario’s Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Michael Ford, who is also the nephew of Premier Doug Ford, has announced that he will be taking a leave of absence from his cabinet position due to health reasons.

On Friday, Michael Ford’s office issued a statement confirming that he would be stepping down from his cabinet role "effective immediately," but he intends to return to Queen’s Park within a few months.

“Earlier today, I spoke with the Premier and informed him of my decision to take a leave of absence from my Cabinet responsibilities as Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, effective immediately,” Michael Ford wrote. “This decision was made after much thought, and while it weighs very heavily on me, it is necessary for me to prioritize my health and well-being over the next couple of months.”

Michael Ford was first elected as an MPP for York-South Weston in 2022, narrowly winning the seat from the Ontario New Democrats by less than 1,000 votes.

Shortly after, he was appointed to cabinet, overseeing the citizenship and multiculturalism portfolio.

Premier Doug Ford faced scrutiny over his decision to appoint his nephew to the cabinet but defended the choice in 2022, emphasizing that Michael Ford, a former city councillor and school board trustee, had "extensive experience" that made him qualified for the position.

“I think he’ll do an extremely good job,” Doug Ford said at the time. “He has a lot of knowledge and he’s been an elected official probably longer than more than 60 per cent of our caucus.”

He also pointed out that the ward his nephew represented, Etobicoke North, is "probably one of the most multicultural areas in the entire province."