▁cabinet ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Labour . ▁ ▁A ▁Red ▁T ory ▁by ▁ide ology , ▁El gie ▁was ▁easily ▁the ▁most ▁left - wing ▁figure ▁in ▁the ▁Davis ▁cabinet . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁province ' s ▁un ions , ▁and ▁passed ▁am end ments ▁to ▁Ontario ' s ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Code ▁and ▁Occ up ational ▁Health ▁and ▁Saf ety ▁reg ulations ▁which ▁were ▁fav ou rable ▁to ▁labour ▁interests . ▁ ▁Some ▁campus ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁groups ▁opposed ▁his ▁efforts ▁to ▁grant ▁human ▁rights ▁officers ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁investigate ▁and ▁arbitr ate ▁reports ▁of ▁work place ▁disc rim ination . ▁ ▁El gie ▁was ▁easily ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁election , ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁Minister ▁of ▁Cons umer ▁and ▁Com mer cial ▁Rel ations ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁He ▁supported ▁Roy ▁Mc M ur try ' s ▁bid ▁to ▁succeed ▁Davis ▁as ▁party ▁leader ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁When ▁Frank ▁Miller ▁replaced ▁Davis ▁as ▁Premier ▁of ▁Ontario ▁on ▁February ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁he ▁named ▁El gie ▁as ▁his ▁Minister ▁of ▁Community ▁and ▁Social ▁Services . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁with ▁a ▁reduced ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁election , ▁as ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv atives ▁won ▁a ▁narrow ▁minor ity ▁government ▁under ▁Miller ' s ▁leadership