In a colourful and tradition-filled ceremony honouring the seven Indigenous nations in Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew was sworn in today as premier of Manitoba, alongside the 14 other members of his cabinet.
“Manitobans have entrusted us with the great honour of leading our province and I do not take this responsibility lightly,” said Kinew. “I am proud of the team we have assembled to get real results for Manitobans on the issues that matter most – fixing health care, making life more affordable and bringing Manitobans together to build our shared future. We will work together to grow our economy and ensure that more Manitobans can join the workforce, join a union and join the middle class. I am humbled by the privilege of forming our province’s next government and I look forward to the work that lies ahead.”
The premier’s executive council will have 15 ministers who reflect the province geographically, culturally and as a society including ensuring gender parity in cabinet. The complete list of cabinet ministers is as follows:
Wab Kinew (MLA for Fort Rouge) – premier, minister of intergovernmental affairs and international relations, minister responsible for Indigenous reconciliation;
Uzoma Asagwara (MLA for Union Station) – deputy premier, minister of health, seniors and long-term care;
Ron Kostyshyn (MLA for Dauphin) – minister of agriculture;
Matt Wiebe (MLA for Concordia) – minister of justice and attorney general, keeper of the great seal of the province of Manitoba, minister responsible for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation;
Nahanni Fontaine (MLA for St. Johns) – minister of families, minister responsible for accessibility, minister responsible for gender equity;
Bernadette Smith (MLA for Point Douglas) – minister of housing, addictions and homelessness, and minister responsible for mental health;
Nello Altomare (MLA for Transcona) – minister of education and early childhood learning;
Ian Bushie (MLA for Keewatinook) – minister of municipal and northern relations, and minister of Indigenous economic development;
Malaya Marcelino (MLA for Notre Dame) – minister of labour and immigration, and minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Board;
Jamie Moses (MLA for St. Vital) – minister of economic development, investment, trade and natural resources;
Lisa Naylor (MLA for Wolseley) – minister of transportation and infrastructure, minister of consumer protection and government services;
Adrien Sala (MLA for St. James) – minister of finance, minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, minister responsible for the Manitoba public service;
Renée Cable (MLA for Southdale) – minister of advanced education and training;
Tracy Schmidt (MLA for Rossmere) – minister of environment and climate change, minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba; and
Glen Simard (MLA for Brandon East) – minister of sport, culture, heritage and tourism, minister responsible for francophone affairs, minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation.
For the first time in Manitoba’s history, the premier will hold the title of minister of Indigenous reconciliation in addition to the title of minister of intergovernmental affairs and international relations. The premier noted the important message this sends to leaders of Indigenous nations in Manitoba – that they will be treated as leaders of governments, much like the relationship between the province and its federal and municipal counterparts.
Asagwara, deputy premier and minister of health, will also make history as the first Black and non-binary person to hold the role of deputy premier. The premier noted the significance of Asagwara’s appointment for the province and reaffirmed health care as a top priority for his government.
The appointments of Smith and Fontaine make history as the first First Nations women to be appointed to Manitoba’s cabinet.
Smith will oversee a new portfolio with a holistic approach to addressing addiction and chronic homelessness, noted the premier, which will ensure the services required to help someone off the street are housed under one government department including working with other levels of government to increase access to affordable housing. The premier noted this new provincial ministry will be integral to fulfilling his government’s promise to eliminate chronic homelessness within eight years.
“Our government is ready to get to work on the strong mandate given to us by Manitobans to improve health care, make life more affordable and bring Manitobans together,” said Kinew. “I have every confidence in the team of skilled and passionate individuals who have answered the call to serve in cabinet. I am grateful for their commitment to working diligently and collaboratively on the issues that matter most to Manitobans. I look forward to the varied perspectives they will bring to the cabinet table, representing the diversity of our province as a whole.”
Kinew noted cabinet will meet later this week to continue shaping the new government’s priorities ahead of the next legislative session in November.
Full biographies of the new cabinet members will be posted online at Province of Manitoba | Cabinet Ministers
