New Opportunities: Chamber Welcomes New Premier, Cabinet

Oct 18, 2023

Earlier today, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and 14 members of executive council were sworn in at a ceremony filled with Indigenous culture and traditions at The Leaf in Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park.

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce recognizes that this is an historic day in our province as Premier Kinew becomes the 25th Premier of Manitoba and the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province, alongside newly appointed Ministers Bernadette Smith and Nahanni Fontaine who become the first two First Nations women to serve in Cabinet in Manitoba’s history. Uzoma Asagwara was also announced as the first Black and non-binary Deputy Premier. Premier Kinew appointed himself as the Minister for Indigenous Reconciliation, sending a strong and powerful message to Manitobans that reconciliation will be a central pillar of this government’s first mandate.

On behalf of our Board of Directors and the entire team at the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, we offer our sincere congratulations to Premier Kinew and the new provincial government.

During the campaign, the Premier often referenced that the economic horse pulls the social cart. Today, we were pleased to hear the Premier emphasize that a strong economy is necessary to provide the critical services that Manitobans demand, and that the new provincial government is committed to being both a responsible steward of the provincial economy and balanced when it comes to the books. It is in this spirit that we genuinely look forward to working with Premier Kinew and the provincial government to ensure that the economy is a driving force behind government decision-making. Through sound public policy and an openness to listen to the business community, we can collectively address the economic challenges we currently face and collaborate on effective solutions.

At the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, we believe that the business community will play a critical role in Manitoba’s economic rebound and future prosperity. Looking ahead, the new provincial government will need to channel limited resources to where they have the greatest impact. We believe these investments should be accompanied by a strategy to support business and economic competitiveness. Historically, the Chamber and the business community have worked closely with the department of Economic Development, Investment and Trade, and we look forward to working alongside the Honourable Jamie Moses, Minister of the newly named Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources.

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce is the voice of business in Manitoba representing 64 local Chambers of Commerce and thousands of businesses. We intend to leverage our Vote Prosperity Policy Platform to provide a roadmap to work in collaboration with the new provincial government to ensure that we are creating a climate in Manitoba that attracts new business and enables existing businesses to thrive, while focusing on the provision of services that Manitobans depend on, including healthcare, child care, and addressing unprecedented talent shortages. To view our priorities for the business community and Manitoba’s economy, please visit voteprosperity.ca.

Today starts a new chapter in Manitoba’s history and signals a renewed opportunity for the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce to champion sustainable economic growth and greater prosperity for Manitoba’s business community.

Sign up to receive the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce weekly enewsletter.

Similar Posts

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce welcomed the opportunity to participate in the 2025 provincial budget consultation process. MCC had a productive...
At our Manitoba Chambers of Commerce MBiz Breakfast this week, Canadian Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Candace Laing echoed our...