Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault played down a published report Wednesday speculating that he's in line for a cabinet post.
Toronto Star Queen's Park reporter Robert Benzie wrote that Premier Kathleen Wynne is looking at shaking up her cabinet next month with some new faces.
“Insiders say MPP Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury), a former NDP MP who won a contentious byelection last year, will be headed for Wynne’s executive council,” Benzie reported Wednesday.
“Thibeault, viewed as a strong communicator, is also an expert in autism, which is one of the thorniest issues now facing the Liberals, though officials stress that doesn’t mean he will be replacing Children and Youth Services Minister Tracy MacCharles.”
Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Thibeault confirmed Wednesday he had read the story, but had heard nothing from the premier about a promotion.
"It is speculation, right?” he said. “I really can't comment on speculation. If I get the honour to serve, then I'm more than happy to do that.
"But as it stands right now, I continue to work for the people of Sudbury and in my role as parliamentary assistant."
Citing his unhappiness with NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, Thibeault left federal politics to run for the Liberals in the February 2015 Sudbury byelection.
While the byelection was dominated by the Andrew Olivier scandal, Thibeault wasn't implicated and won the seat. He was named parliamentary assistant to Glen Murray, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.
If he's appointed to the executive council, Thibeault would be the city's first provincial cabinet minister since Rick Bartolucci, who served mainly as Northern Development and Mines minister in former Premier Dalton McGuinty's cabinet.
