Sorbara takes himself out of consideration for cabinet post
By Bill Rea

Last week's surprise announcement that former local MPP Greg Sorbara would be leaving the provincial cabinet was greeted with supportive comments from area reps.

Sorbara, the recently elected MPP for Vaughan, had been the provincial representative for much of King Township until riding redistribution took effect with this month's election.

He announced Friday that he had advised Premier Dalton Mcguinty he did not wish to be considered for a position in the cabinet the premier was forming. Sorbara had been Finance Minister for the first term of Mcguinty's government, save for a seven-month period last year, when he stepped aside because his named appeared in RCMP search warrants (his name was removed by a court order).

He cited personal and family reasons for wishing to leave cabinet.

"This decision has been the most difficult of my political life and the most deeply personal," he said in his statement. "For the past seven years, I have given the bulk of my energy to the viability of my party and since October 2003 to the success of our government. It is now time for me to redirect that energy to those who are more dear to me than anything, my family."

He added he will continue as MPP for Vaughan.

"It's a personal decision that Greg has made," commented Dr. Helena Jaczek, newly elected MPP for Oak Ridges - Markham. "It must be a good decision for him."

The family considerations was something Julia Munro said she could relate to. The new MPP for York - Simcoe observed that Sorbara had been a key figure, both in the Liberal party and the government. But she also observed his constituents should be seeing more of him.

There has been some controversy raised about the timing of the announcement, coming a little more than two weeks after the election.

"Obviously, anyone can second guess when was the best time," Munro commented, adding it might have seemed presumptuous for him to have announced before the election. She also said that such an announcement would likely not have influenced many votes.