Manitoba’s new executive council was sworn in last week and Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn has a seat at the table.
Kostyshyn was appointed as agriculture minister during a swearing in ceremony, Oct. 18 which saw NDP Wab Kinew make history by becoming the province’s first First Nations premier.
“It is definitely an honour and a pleasure to be asked and work with a great team,” Kostyshyn said. “As you know we’ve got some major hills to climb as far as in the provincial situation, but definitely it’s an honour and it’s a great pleasure to be back at the legislative buildings.”
Having served in the legislature and the cabnet in the past, Kostyshyn said heading back feels a little bit like a homecoming.
“I felt very comfortable walking up the stairs into the legislative building and having our first cabinet meeting. It definitely was a good feeling,” he said.
Kostyshyn expects the house to resume sitting sometime in November. Until that time the cabinet will continue to meet and he will get up to speed on the Agriculture file through daily briefings with department staff so he can hit the ground running when the time comes.
“We have had our first cabinet meeting last Wednesday and we’ll be having cabinet meetings on Wednesdays on a regular basis,” he said “I am ready to go to work for the province of Manitoba and the Dauphin constituency.”
It is a sentiment which was echoed by Kinew in his opening address as premier.
“Manitobans have entrusted us with the great honour of leading our province and I do not take this responsibility lightly,” Kinew said following a ceremony honouring the seven Indigenous nations in the province. “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 executive council has 15 ministers, reflect ing the province geographically, culturally and demographically.
Joining Kostyshyn at the cabinet table are:
• 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;
• 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 Altomar, 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.
“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,” Kinew said. “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.”
The cabinet held its first meeting later in the week to continue shaping the new government’s priorities ahead of the next legislative session in November.
