base of eastern Ontario. He placed fifth out of seven candidates on the first ballot, and dropped out after the second ballot. After withdrawing, he gave his support to Dalton McGuinty, the eventual winner. Gerretsen was easily re-elected in the 1999 provincial election, although the Progressive Conservatives were again victorious across the province. Gerretsen continued as Opposition Whip, and remained a vocal Liberal MPP for the next four years. McGuinty government The Liberal Party won the 2003 election with 72 seats out of 103, and Gerretsen was re-elected with over 60% support. On October 23, 2003, he was named Minister of Municipal Affairs, with responsibility for Seniors. In March 2004, his portfolio was renamed the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Gerretsen was the primary spokesperson for the McGuinty government in its controversial decision to permit further housing expansion on the Oak Ridges Moraine, despite an election promise not to do so. The Liberals claimed that they lacked the legal authority to prevent further development in the area. His main legislative success has been in leading in the enactment of a 1.8 million acre (7,300 km²) green belt surrounding the City of Toronto in 2005. After a cabinet shuffle on June 29, 2005, the responsibility for Seniors issues was transferred to another government minister. Gerretsen was retained as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. In the 2007 election of October 10, 2007, Gerretsen won re-election with just under 50 per cent support. On October 29, 2007, Gerretsen was appointed as Minister of the Environment. On August 18, 2010, Gerretsen was moved to the post of Minister of the Consumer Services. He won re-election in the October 6, 2011 election. He was appointed Attorney General of Ontario and was re-appointed when Kathleen Wynne became premier in early 2013. On October 25, 2013, Gerretsen announced that he would not run in the next election. Just before his retirement at the June 2014 election, Gerretsen was moved from the Attorney-General portfolio to that of Chair of Cabinet. Cabinet positions Electoral record Personal life On March 19, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gerretsen tested positive for COVID-19, with his wife Assunta testing positive earlier that week, after they were both repatriated to Canada from the Grand Princess cruise ship; they were quarantined at CFB Trenton. References External links 1942 births 21st-century Canadian politicians Living people Attorneys General of Ontario Dutch emigrants to Canada Lawyers