Eight of the 15 members announced in Manitoba Premier Wap Kinew’s inaugural cabinet on Wednesday are people of colour. Seven are female or non-binary, five are Indigenous and two are LGBTQ.
Canada’s new prime minister said he made a deliberate effort to make sure the NDP government reflects the demographics of the 1.4 million people living in Manitoba.
“The people of this province have come together to declare that we are one people, one Manitoba, and together we will build one future,” Kenio said in a speech inside The Leaf, a botanical garden in Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park, during the swearing-in. -At the party on Wednesday morning.
“Manitoba now has a Jewish lieutenant governor, an Anishinaabe premier, and a [nearly] “The government is gender balanced and the government MLAs represent many walks of life from many areas in this great province,” said Keno, whose party won the October 3 provincial election.
“I think this sends a message to every young man in Manitoba that no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter what obstacles you have to overcome along the way in life, the path to success is open to you. You.”
The first Kinew government includes two First Nations women. Nahani Fontaine, the new Minister of Families, is Anishinaabe. Bernadette Smith, Minister Responsible for Housing, Homelessness and Addictions, is Anishinaabe and Métis.
Ian Bushey, Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations, is a former chief of Hollowwater First Nation, an Anishinaabe community along the southeastern shore of Lake Winnipeg. Rookie MLA Renée Cable, Minister of Education and Advanced Training, is Métis.
The other three people of color in Kinew’s closet are not Indigenous. Economic Development Minister Jimmy Musa is also black. Malaya Marcelino, Secretary of Labor and Immigration, was born in the Philippines. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara’s parents immigrated from Nigeria.
Asagawara, who is non-binary, praised Kino’s efforts to form a diverse government.
“All Manitobans deserve to see themselves represented in politics,” Asagwarra, who was also appointed deputy premier, said at a rally.
“It sends a clear message to Manitobans that everyone is valued, that everyone deserves respect, and that if we work together to uplift all people, you will have great opportunities to achieve everything you hope to achieve in our province.”
Asagwara and Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor are also members of Winnipeg’s LGBTQ community.
However, Kino was not able to fully represent Manitoba geographically. Only three of his cabinet members represent constituencies outside Winnipeg.
Bushey represents Keewatinock Island, which extends from Hudson Bay to the Winnipeg River. Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn represents Dauphin, while Brandon East is represented by Glenn Simard, Minister of Sports, Culture, Heritage and Tourism.
Keino had little choice regarding geographical representation because the vast majority of NDP members – 28 out of 34 – represented electoral districts in Winnipeg. Kostyshyn and Simard are the only NDP representatives outside of Winnipeg and northern Manitoba.
The incoming government also lacks diversity in representation of trades and professions in Manitoba.
Tracey Schmidt, the environment and climate change minister, is the government’s only female lawyer. Kostyshyn, a cattle breeder, is the only agricultural producer.
Adrian Sala, who once held a senior position at Assiniboine Credit Union and was named finance minister, is one of the few NDP multilateral finance aides with significant business experience.
