Since first being elected in 2007, she has had a number of roles, including serving as Opposition Deputy House Leader, and her party’s critic for Community and Social Services, the Attorney General, Government Services and Children and Youth Services.

Most recently, she has introduced several bills that would benefit residents of our area and beyond, including the Growing Ontario’s Craft Cidery Industry Act, aimed at eliminating the cut the LCBO takes from sales between a licensed busi- ness and the cider producers. She has also started work on putting forward a new private member’s bill, Bill 79 – Helping Volunteers Give Back Act, which would function as an amendment to the Police Record Check Reform Act (Bill 113).

According to Ms. Jones, her role within the party won’t differentiate drastically as far as expectations and duties. The biggest changes will include standing in place of Mr. Brown when he is unavailable and doing work to assist him.

“Basically, when Patrick is not at Queen’s Park – since we all know it’s not possible to be everywhere at once – we will be helping him out,” she said. “Serving with Steve Clark as the other Deputy Leader, we will help out with questions and attend events that he is unable to attend.”

Along with selecting the two new deputy leaders, Mr. Brown revamped which positions his shadow cabinet members were serving in. For our local MPP, this meant a re-assignment from PC Caucus Chair and Critic to the Attorney General to the party’s critic for Children and Youth Services.

“I’m no longer serving as the critic to the Attorney General – which I loved – and I will miss the issues and individuals, but I am taking on Children and Youth Services which I have done before,” said Ms. Jones. “It is exciting to reintroduce myself to the individuals who play such a big role in protecting our youth. We started back in Queen’s Park on Monday and it feels good.”

With the excitement of the changes in Ms. Jones’ role as both MPP and now Deputy Leader, she is optimistic that they will have a positive impact on her work and on what she is able to do through those positions.

“I hope that it means that the work that [Patrick] has seen me do in the past he is pleased with and that he wants to capitalize on those talents that I bring.”