Premier Heather Stefanson shuffled her cabinet on January 30, making significant changes to Executive Council. The Premier led a swearing in ceremony for new ministers, ministers with new portfolios, and ministers with changing responsibilities at a ceremony held at the Manitoba Legislature. The new cabinet includes 18 ministers (increased from 17) and certain portfolios have been reframed.
The shuffle comes on the heels of retirement and departure announcements from several cabinet ministers. Then last week, Cameron Friesen announced that he would be stepping down as Finance Minister to seek the federal Conservative nomination in the riding of Portage-Lisgar.
Delivering a message of hope and renewal, Premier Stefanson welcomed four new faces into Cabinet. Janice Morley-Lecomte (Seine River), James Teitsma (Radisson), Obby Khan (Fort Whyte), and Kevin Klein (Kirkfield Park) were all appointed to cabinet positions on Monday.
The major shuffle places new faces in some of the government’s most important posts.
- Cliff Cullen was sworn in as Manitoba’s new minister of finance and minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, while retaining his title as deputy premier.
- Jeff Wharton moves into the economic development, investment and trade portfolio.
- Janice Morley-Lecomte is the new minister of mental health and community wellness.
- James Teitsma is the new minister of consumer protection and government services, minister responsible for the public service and minister responsible for the public utilities board.
- Obby Khan is the new minister responsible for sport, culture and heritage, minister responsible for the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation, and minister responsible for Travel Manitoba..
- Kevin Klein is the new minister of environment and climate and the minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba.
- Sarah Guillemard assumes the reframed advanced education and training portfolio, while Jon Reyes will run the reframed labour and immigration ministry.
- Audrey Gordon retains her position as minister of health and Rochelle Squires remains in her role as minister of families, minister responsible for accessibility, minister responsible for Francophone affairs, and minister responsible for status of women.
Manitoba Executive Council as of January 30, 2023
| PORTFOLIO |
MINISTER |
PROVINCIAL ELECTORAL DIVISION |
| Premier |
Heather Stefanson |
Tuxedo |
| Deputy Premier, Finance, and Manitoba Hydro |
Cliff Cullen |
Spruce Woods |
| Economic Development, Investment and Trade |
Jeff Wharton |
Red River North |
| Advanced Education and Training |
Sarah Guillemard |
Fort Richmond |
| Labour and Immigration |
Jon Reyes |
St. Norbert |
| Families, Accessibility, Francophone Affairs, and Status of Women |
Rochelle Squires |
Riel |
| Health |
Audrey Gordon |
Southdale |
| Education and Early Childhood Education |
Wayne Ewasko |
Lac du Bonnet |
| Mental Health and Community Wellness |
Honourable Janice Morley -Lecomte |
Seine River |
| Municipal Relations and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation |
Andrew Smith |
Lagimodiere |
| Agriculture |
Derek Johnson |
Interlake-Gimli |
| Justice and Attorney General, and Manitoba Public Insurance |
Kelvin Goertzen |
Steinbach |
| Environment, Climate and Parks and Efficiency Manitoba |
Kevin Klein |
Kirkfield Park |
| Consumer Protection and Government Services, the Public Utilities Board, and the Public Service Commission |
James Teitsma |
Radisson |
| Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations |
Eileen Clark |
Agassiz |
| Transportation and Infrastructure |
Doyle Piwniuk |
Turtle Mountain |
| Seniors and Long-Term Care |
Scott Johnston |
Assiniboia |
| Sport, Culture and Heritage, Centennial Centre Corporation, and Travel Manitoba |
Obby Khan |
Fort Whyte |
| Natural Resources and Northern Development |
Greg Nesbitt |
Riding Mountain |
The Chamber Network looks forward to working with Premier Stefanson and her cabinet on economic development efforts and matters important to the business community, including economic competitiveness and unprecedented labour shortages.
While many businesses have rebounded from the detrimental effects of the pandemic and have returned to pre-pandemic levels of revenue, it has been an unequal recovery, with small and medium-sized enterprises continuing to face considerable challenges. High inflation has forced businesses to make critical decisions, including reducing costs internally and passing on costs to customers.
Support for Manitoba’s business community has never been so important. To that end, we welcome an opportunity to collaborate with the new Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade, Jeff Wharton, the new Minister of Advanced Education and Training, Sarah Guillemard, and Jon Reyes, the Minister overseeing the reframed Department of Labour and Immigration.
Furthermore, it is critically important that we collaborate with post-secondary institutions on initiatives to ensure that Manitoba produces, attracts, educates, trains, and retains the skilled workforce fundamental to sustaining economic growth, prosperity and healthy communities.
We thank the Government of Manitoba for its continued support and for being a strong voice for Manitoba’s business community.
Read the Government of Manitoba News Release.
