▁staff ▁impro per ly ▁obtained ▁and ▁le aked ▁confident ial ▁information ▁about ▁a ▁card i ologist ' s ▁income ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁bid ▁to ▁dis cred it ▁a ▁vocal ▁oppon ent ▁in ▁the ▁continu ing ▁dispute ▁over ▁government ▁cut back s ▁in ▁do ctors ' ▁in comes . ▁ ▁The ▁personal ▁information ▁le aked ▁was ▁de emed ▁to ▁be ▁without ▁the ▁knowledge ▁of , ▁or ▁at ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁the ▁minister ▁or ▁min istry ▁staff . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Wilson ▁was ▁named ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Energy , ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology . ▁ ▁After ▁red ist ribution , ▁Wilson ▁ran ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁provincial ▁election ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁seat ▁of ▁Sim co e — G rey . ▁ ▁He ▁defeated ▁his ▁nearest ▁oppon ent , ▁Liberal ▁Norman ▁Sand berg , ▁by ▁over ▁ 1 9 , 0 0 0 ▁votes . ▁ ▁E ves ▁Government ▁He ▁was ▁retained ▁in ▁the ▁Energy , ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology ▁port folio ▁until ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁when ▁Er nie ▁E ves ▁replaced ▁Mike ▁Harris ▁as ▁Premier . ▁ ▁E ves ▁named ▁Wilson ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Northern ▁Development ▁and ▁M ines , ▁and ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ontario ▁Heritage ▁Fund ▁Corporation . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁named ▁Minister ▁of ▁Environment . ▁ ▁O pp osition ▁( 2 nd ▁time ) ▁The ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv atives ▁were ▁defeated ▁in