Gender, ethnocultural representation strong in Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's 1st cabinet
New NDP premier fares less well in efforts to ensure geographic, professional representation
Eight out of 15 members announced as Manitoba Premier Wab 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 newest premier said he made a deliberate effort to ensure his NDP government reflects the demographics of the 1.4 million people who live in Manitoba.
"The people of this province have come together to declare that we are one people, one Manitoba, who are going to build one future together," Kinew said in an address inside The Leaf, a plant conservatory in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park, during a swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday morning.
"Manitoba now has a Jewish lieutenant-governor, an Anishinaabe premier, a [nearly] gender-balanced cabinet and a government MLA team that represents many walks of life from so many regions of this great province," said Kinew, whose party won the Oct. 3 provincial election.
"I believe that this sends a message to every young person in Manitoba that no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, and no matter which barriers you have to overcome on your life's path, that the road to success is open for you."
The Kinew government's first cabinet includes two First Nations women. Nahanni Fontaine, the new families minister, is Anishinaabe. Bernadette Smith, the minister responsible for housing, homelessness and addictions, is Anishinaabe and Métis.
Ian Bushie, the minister of municipal and northern relations, is the former chief of Hollow Water First Nation, an Anishinaabe community along Lake Winnipeg's southeastern shore. Rookie MLA Renée Cable, the advanced education and training minister, is Métis.
There are also three people of colour in Kinew's cabinet. Economic Development Minister Jamie Moses is Black. Malaya Marcelino, the labour and immigration minister, was born in the Philippines. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara's parents immigrated from Nigeria.
Asagwara, who is non-binary, praised Kinew's efforts to assemble a diverse cabinet.
"All Manitobans deserve to see themselves represented in politics," said Asagwara, who was also named deputy premier, in a scrum.
"It sends a clear message to Manitobans that everyone is valued, that everyone deserves respect and that if we work together to lift up all people then you have great opportunities to achieve whatever it is you hope to achieve in our province."
Asagwara and Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor are also members of Winnipeg's LGBTQ community.
Kinew was not able, however, to fully represent Manitoba geographically. Only three members of his cabinet represent constituencies outside Winnipeg.
Bushie represents Keewatinook, which stretches from Hudson Bay to the Winnipeg River. Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn represents Dauphin, while Glen Simard, the minister of sport, culture, heritage and tourism, represents Brandon East.
Kinew had little choice in terms of geographic representation because the vast majority of the NDP's MLAs — 28 out of 34 — represent constituencies in Winnipeg. Kostyshyn and Simard are the only NDP MLAs outside of Winnipeg and northern Manitoba.
The incoming cabinet also lacks diversity in representing Manitoba professions and occupations.
Tracy Schmidt, the minister of the environment and climate change, is the only lawyer in cabinet. Kostyshyn, a cattle farmer, is the only agricultural producer.
Adrien Sala, who once held a senior position at Assiniboine Credit Union and was named minister of finance, is one of only a handful of NDP MLAs with significant experience in business.
