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THE SHUFFLE HITS THE PREMIER’S OFFICE
First in Observer — The post-cabinet-shuffle switcheroo has reached DOUG FORD’s own office.
Recall: Two weeks ago, I told y’all about four chiefs-of-staff moves. Now, the Premier’s chief TRAVIS KANN has sent around a memo laying out another round of chief appointments, plus a big change in Ford’s inner circle. Who’s who:
In PO: MICHAEL KLIMUNTOWSKI is making a comeback as deputy chief of staff for policy and delivery. Klimuntowski has been around since day one of this government — he cut his teeth at Trade, then led issues management in PO, served as chief to the ministers of Long-Term Care, Municipal Affairs and Housing, and most recently worked as chief to then-Treasury Board Presidents CAROLINE MULRONEY and PETER BETHLENFALVY.
Kann had high praise for his returning staffer, who officially joins after the Thanksgiving weekend, calling Klimuntowski “an exemplary model of a political public servant: hard-working, collegial, disciplined, discreet, adaptable, strategic and thoughtful.”
And he’s not the only one. One Tory insider tells me Klimuntowski’s got a “very good policy brain.”
His recruitment comes as Ford loses another key policy head: KEVIN LYNCH, who led major projects, infrastructure, natural resources and industries policy. Lynch is also an OG staffer — (with a wicked sense of humour, as noted by Kann) — working the Small Business and Treasury Board files before handling policy in PO circa 2022. He’s now headed for the private sector.
Earlier this month, Ford said goodbye to his executive director of policy, GIANCARLO DA-RÉ, and Klimuntowski appears to be the first deputy CoS of policy hired since RAHUL BEDI left last year.
That’s a lot of change in not a lot of time when it comes to policy in PO.
What’s not changing: ALYSSA BEST, Ford’s widely praised head of budget, health and social policy, and ADAM WALLACE, head of economic and fiscal strategy and policy, are sticking around.
As for the nine new chiefs:
