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Elizabeth Witmer, MPP for Kitchener Waterloo  Elizabeth Witmer is the first female MPP for Kitchener-Waterloo and Region of Waterloo, former Deputy Premier, and currently serves as Official Opposition Critic for Education and Women’s Issues. As a Cabinet Minister she managed some of the toughest files at Queen’s Park between 1995-2003.Elizabeth was first elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1990. In June 1995, she was appointed Minister of Labour where she moved quickly to restore balance to provincial labour relations to again make Ontario the best province in Canada for attracting new investment and jobs. She also strengthened workplace safety and insurance legislation. In October 1997, she was appointed Minister of Health, where she undertook the daunting task of implementing the long overdue restructuring of Ontario’s health system to improve access to health care for Ontarians. In June 1999, Elizabeth was re-appointed Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and forged a collaborative approach with health stakeholders to move forward decisively with primary care and mental health reform, the modernization of Ontario’s hospitals, telehealth and the expansion of community services and 20,000 new long-term care beds. Elizabeth was appointed Minister of the Environment on February 8, 2001, ignaling that the future sustainability and protection of Ontario’s air, water and natural environment were of the highest priority to the Ontario Government. She was appointed Deputy Premier of Ontario and Minister of Education in April 2002. After committing record levels of funding and the implementation of recommendations in the Rozanski Report, students saw unprecedented improvements to the education system in areas of early literacy and numeracy and students at risk. |
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