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David Zimmer
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=== Minister tasked with indigenous relations & reconciliation === In February 2013, Zimmer, who was Premier [[Kathleen Wynne]]'s parliamentary assistant in the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, was appointed by Wynne to succeed herself as the [[Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (Ontario)|Minister of Aboriginal Affairs]].<ref name="2013WynneCab">{{cite news |title=Ontario's new cabinet |newspaper=Waterloo Region Record |location=Kitchener, Ont |date=February 12, 2013 |page=A3}}</ref> Zimmer helmed the ministry, the second smallest in the government,{{efn|by headcount and by budget (larger only than [[Ministry of Francophone Affairs|Francophone Affairs]])}} during a period indigenous issues increasingly became a front burner, mainstream area of political discourse, rapidly gaining awareness among the voting public and unprecedent attention from the Ontario government led by Wynne and the [[29th Canadian Ministry|federal administration of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau]]. Under Zimmer's watch, the indigenous affairs ministry was thrusted into roles with much greater prominence and sensitivities while substantially expanded its scope in many of the government's economic policy initiatives. Wynne placing importance on indigenous issues as both a cross-government priority and a personal priority, and her personal affinity with Zimmer for being one of her earliest backers, were among the key enablers Zimmer's and his ministry's success in securing significant, in some cases unprecedented, progress on many longstanding challenges. For most of his tenure, the ministry's most senior civil servant and its chief political advisor{{efn|Respectively the Deputy Minister and Chief of Staff.}} were both long-time associates of Wynne. Zimmer oversaw Ontario's Response to the [[Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Canada)|Truth and Reconciliation Commission]], including a $250 million special investment package, close to twice the ministry's annual budget, on an integrated suite of education, health, cultural and social services programs focused on reconciliation and addressing the legacy and negative impacts of [[Canadian Indian residential school system|residential schools]]. As part of Ontario's response, in June 2016, his ministerial title was renamed to Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation,<ref name="2016WynneCab">{{cite news |title=Kathleen Wynne's shuffled cabinet features 40% women |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-cabinet-changes-1.3632476 |publisher=CBC News |date=June 13, 2016}}</ref> a move later reversed when the Liberals were ousted from government. Zimmer placed specific focus on the indigenous relationship aspect of his role. He was determined to personally visit as many of Ontario's First Nation Communities as possible, including remote reserves in extremely poor conditions that are difficult to reach. Long long tenure as a minister with a standalone mandate meant he was able to personally represent the government in the home communities of his stakeholders. By the end of his tenure, he personally visited 129 of Ontario's 133 First Nations. Zimmer held the record as Ontario's [[Ministry of Indigenous Affairs (Ontario)|longest serving minister for indigenous affairs]] until late 2023 when his successor [[Greg Rickford]], who held the role as supplementary to various economic portfolios during different periods surpassed his record of 5 years and 4 months. Zimmer's tenure was the longest continuous period during which the ministry had a dedicated minister at the cabinet table.{{efn|Previously [[Brad Duguid]] led the ministry solely for 16 months.}} His successor [[Greg Rickford]] at the height of his power was charged with leading natural resources, forestry, northern development, mines, and energy in addition to the indigenous ministry.<ref>{{cite news |title=Indigenous Affairs could get a shakeup| first=David| last=Reevely| date=June 26, 2018| newspaper=[[National Post]]}}</ref> Despite heading the most bloated cabinet in the province's history, with six ministers minding those same resources portfolio in late 2024, Premier Ford never appointed a full time minister to the indigenous affairs ministry. As of early 2025, Zimmer remains the ministry's last dedicated minister. Zimmer was one of three ministers who held the same portfolio throughout [[Wynne ministry|Wynne's premiership]], along with [[Ministry of Finance (Ontario)|finance minister]] [[Charles Sousa]] and [[Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry|north development & mines minister]] Michael Gravelle. The Liberals suffered their worst result in the party's 161-year history in [[2018 Ontario general election|2018]], and Zimmer was defeated locally in Willowdale by [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]] candidate [[Stan Cho]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/07/willowdales-stan-cho-take-pcs-into-liberal-territory.html| title=Willowdale's Stan Cho take PCs into Liberal territory| first=Donovan| last=Vincent| date=June 7, 2018| newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> who continues Willowdale's tradition as a ministerial seat in the [[Ford ministry|Ford Ministry]]. {{s-start}} {{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Kathleen_Wynne}} {{ministry box cabinet posts | post1 = [[Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (Ontario)|Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation]]{{efn|From 2013 to 2016 portfolio was named Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.}} | post1years = 2013-2018 | post1note = | post1preceded = [[Chris Bentley (politician)|Chris Bentley]] | post1followed = [[Greg Rickford]] }} {{s-end}}
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