Mowat ministry

The Mowat ministry was the combined cabinet (formally the Executive Council of Ontario) that governed Ontario from October 25, 1872, to July 21, 1896. It was led by the 3rd Premier of Ontario, Oliver Mowat. The ministry was made up of members of the Liberal Party of Ontario, which commanded a majority of the seats in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The ministry replaced the Blake ministry following the resignation of Premier Edward Blake, who departed in 1872 to pursue a career in federal politics. The Mowat Hardy ministry governed through the second half of the 2nd Parliament of Ontario, as well as every parliament from the 3rd to the 7th, then the first half of the 8th Parliament of Ontario. It was the longest-lived Ontario ministry, nearly ten years longer than the second longest ministry Davis ministry.

Mowat resigned in 1896 to serve in Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier's federal cabinet. He was succeeded as Premier of Ontario by Arthur Sturgis Hardy.