Premier Wab Kinew Unveils Manitoba's New Cabinet

In this first NDP mandate, after over a decade of Conservative rule, the cabinet has been reduced from 18 Ministers to just 14.

Uzoma Asagwara, who is non-binary and made history as the first black queer MLA in the province when they were first elected in 2019, is the new Health Minister and Deputy Premier. For the first time, the cabinet will include First Nations women Nahanni Fontaine and Bernadette Smith.

The cabinet also includes those with previous experience, like Ron Kostyshyn, who has become the agriculture minister for the second time. He held this portfolio under former premier Greg Selinger before losing the seat in 2016.

Priorities for this first term include healthcare and affordability. Lingering questions remain on how the new Premier will be able to work with the Federal Government.  

The Cabinet:  

• Hon. Wab Kinew - Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and International Relations and Minister responsible for Indigenous Reconciliation
• Hon. Uzoma Asagwara - Deputy Premier, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care  
• Hon. Ron Kostyshyn - Minister of Agriculture on October 18, 2023
• Hon. Matt Wiebe - Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Keeper of the Great Seal of the Province of Manitoba, Minister responsible for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation  
• Hon. Nahanni Fontaine - Minister of Families, Minister responsible for Accessibility, Minister responsible for Gender Equity  

• Hon. Bernadette Smith - Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness and Minister responsible for Mental Health  
• Hon. Nello Altomare - Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning
• Hon. Ian Bushie - Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations, and Minister of Indigenous Economic Development
• Hon. Malaya Marcelino - Minister of Labour and Immigration and Minister responsible for The Workers Compensation Board  
• Hon. Jamie Moses - Minister of Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources  

• Hon. Lisa Naylor - Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Minister of Consumer Protection and Government Services  
• Hon. Adrien Sala - Minister of Finance, Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, Minister responsible for the Manitoba Public Service  
• Hon. Renée Cable - Minister of Advanced Education and Training  
• Hon. Tracy Schmidt - Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba  
• Hon. Glen Simard - Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, Minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation  

What Happens Next

After taking his oath, Premier Kinew greeted the crowd in seven different Indigenous nations' languages of Manitoba and said Wednesday was the start of a new era.  

"Today is a new day in our province. Today, a new era begins, and today we get to work for you, the people of Manitoba, We're committed to putting the people of Manitoba first, and we will devote every single day of the next four years to serving you and the future generations that will some day walk these lands."

Almost as important will be the staffing of ministerial offices. Over the next few months, we expect to see ministerial offices staffing up over the course of the fall, bringing on many new hires. We expect offices to be fully staffed by early 2024.

The Legislature is currently scheduled to return on November 21st. Based on the Premier’s press conference.

The fall will give newly elected and re-elected MLAs a chance to spend time in their ridings until the House resumes in mid-November. It also allows ministers to become familiar with their portfolios and engage with relevant stakeholders as they learn about their mandates and plan how to achieve them. Organizations looking to advance a particular file or priority are well advised to begin their advocacy during the fall. Expect a very busy parliamentary session to close out 2023.

There is no shortage of files and issues that will take the attention of this new Government, and one thing is sure is that the next four years will be busy.