Ontario has so many premiers these days people are getting confused. Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty, who could be called the real premier, although some would dispute it, keeps appointing a succession of so-called "acting premiers," who stand in for him when he is away from the legislature.
At least half a dozen ministers have filled in, and those who have done it most are Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, Health Minister George Smitherman, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips and Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky.
The role is not as powerful or difficult as it sounds, particularly because it mainly involves responding to questions by opposition parties, and acting premiers, like premiers, refer the vast majority to ministers specifically responsible for and more knowledgeable on topics raised. A question on highways, for instance, is passed on to the transportation minister.
But the acting premiers also have opportunities to impress by replying to more general questions by counter-attacking and rallying their own troops, as McGuinty would if he were present, and avoid making gaffes that hurt.
The acting premiers mostly have tried to be feisty, usually by declaring the Progressive Conservative government that preceded them was the worst in history, and have not tripped badly.
McGuinty is under pressure to appoint a deputy premier, who would be second-in-command on a continuing basis. All premiers in nearly three decades have had deputies, although for varying reasons.
Conservative premier William Davis named Bob Welch in 1977 because an ambitious Darcy McKeough was pushing him to move over. Davis wanted to emphasize he was not leaving and discourage him.
Conservative Frank Miller named Bette Stephenson, who had stronger credentials than any male in their party, trying to show it supported equal opportunity.
Liberal premier David Peterson appointed Robert Nixon, because he had been their party?s heart for two decades and led unsuccessfully in three elections, and still had a lot of life.
New Democrat Bob Rae named Floyd Laughren deputy because he was steady and not a silver-spoon Socialist, as many viewed Rae.
Conservative Mike Harris named Ernie Eves because he brought financial acumen Harris lacked and, when Eves left, filled the post with Jim Flaherty, whom he knew would continue his far-right agenda.
And Eves when he returned and became premier gave the job to Elizabeth Witmer, who was more moderate and helped him become leader.
McGuinty?s natural choice for deputy premier would have been Greg Sorbara, who more than anyone rebuilt the Liberal party, but he had to resign from cabinet when police began investigating his actions as a company director.
McGuinty recently returned after two weeks on a trade mission, but spent his first day back in his legislature office because, he said, a huge backlog of work accumulated while he was away. A deputy premier with some authority over the whole range of government could have whittled some of this
down so McGuinty could return quickly to where he should have been, answering in the legislature for his government?s actions.
Eric Dowd is a veteran member of the Queen's Park press gallery.
