New Ontario minister

Ontario's new Minister of Culture -- nominally responsible for magazine policy -- is Caroline DiCocco, the MPP for Sarnia-Lambton since 1999 and Premier Dalton McGuinty's parliamentary assistant. She replaces Madeleine Meilleur, who is now Minister of Community and Social Services, and Minister Responsible for Ontarians with Disabilities, and remains Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. The shuffle was made necessary by the resignation of Education Minister Gerard Kennedy to run for the federal Liberal leadership.

In the Toronto Star, columnist Ian Urquhart commented:

Di Cocco is well-meaning but somewhat scatterbrained. Her qualifications for the culture portfolio? The press release announcing her appointment notes, among other things, that she used to be a member of the Sarnia-Lambton Folk Arts and Multicultural Council and she "has directed church choirs."

A friend in high places notes that this is the fifth minister in this position in six years! And that Culture does not have much in the way of mag policy/programs to administer directly.In fact,on any one issue the magazine industry deals with up to three groups at any one time and about magazine policy deals on a more or less continuous basis with:

The Ontario Media Development Corporation
The Ontario Arts Council
Finance
Economic Development and Training
Innovation and Research
Infrastructure Renewal
Revenue
Environment
Management Board
Premier's office