TORONTO - There is no cabinet shuffle in the works and Deputy Premier George Smitherman isn't going anywhere, Premier Dalton McGuinty insisted Tuesday, despite rumours of upcoming changes following Smitherman's musings about running for mayor of Toronto.
"He's not going anywhere, you heard it here first," McGuinty said.
After months of denying he is eyeing the mayor's job, Smitherman gave a strong signal three weeks ago that he was considering making a bid.
The speculation about Smitherman's possible departure ramped up Friday, when Toronto Mayor David Miller announced he wouldn't be seeking a third term. A resignation would result in a cabinet shuffle, with Attorney General Chris Bentley rumoured to possibly be poised to take over as minister of energy and infrastructure.
But McGuinty said there was no need to shuffle his ministers.
"All I know is, the guy is working really hard and I'm going to hang on to him," McGuinty said, although he wouldn't directly address whether Smitherman had expressly told him he wasn't leaving.
"He's told me that he's going to keep working as hard as he can."
Smitherman has left the door open for a possible run since his initial comments and promised to decide by January -- a position he defended Tuesday, saying there was no need for him to make a call any sooner.
"I've been pretty clear to say that I think by next year, when that race is fully enjoined, I will have had an opportunity to consider it, but I've also said that I'm working and dedicated to the responsibilities I have," Smitherman said.
Smitherman also dismissed questions about whether the lead-up to a possible January announcement would be distracting.
"I know by now, for as long as I've been around, what's out there and what's potential for me, I'm not making 50 phone calls a day, I'm focused on my daily responsibilities."
But opposition leaders said it was time for Smitherman to declare his intentions.
"It's time George comes out of the bushes and tells everybody what his intentions are, and I think that needs to happen sooner rather than later," said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.
"This is becoming the story and the government has to focus on what it's doing and it can't do that as long as the speculation continues to swirl around George's intentions."
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said he didn't buy Smitherman's assertions that gathering support in the lead-up to a possible bid wasn't distracting.
"He's got to decide where his heart is -- is it with the province or with the city -- and make that choice," Hudak said.
"Being a cabinet minister's not a part-time job."
Speaker Steve Peters reprimanded the legislature several times Tuesday over comments about Smitherman's possible mayoral aspirations, as well as those of Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson, who is rumoured to be interested in the Ottawa mayor's job.
"I would ask that we confine ourselves here to dealing with provincial issues and issues that pertain to the province of Ontario and keep all the electioneering out of the chamber," Peters told the legislature.
Smitherman has faced some opposition for some of his recent work as energy minister.
On Monday, residents warned that a new gas-fired electricity plant to be built west of Toronto could undermine his mayoral bid. He's also faced criticism from opponents of wind farms, who say industrial wind turbines pose a health risk to people living nearby.
Former Progressive Conservative leader John Tory is rumoured to be in the running for the Toronto mayor's job, while former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray has also expressed interest in a possible bid.
