Premier Kinew shuffles cabinet, creates technology portfolio

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew shuffled his cabinet Wednesday, adding three new faces and sharpening the focus on the province’s growing tech sector.

Kinew introduced the Department of Innovation and New Technology at a swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers.

The innovation portfolio will be headed up by Mike Moroz, a first-time MLA who was elected in 2023 to represent the former Liberal stronghold riding of River Heights.

Moroz will be tasked with growing the province’s tech industry and modernizing government services.

“I think it is important for us to have a future-focused new technology department that really is all about innovation,” said Kinew.

“It’s good for the economy, but it also impacts so many aspects of our lives here.”

The department will also be in charge of developing an intellectual property strategy and looking at emerging developments in artificial intelligence.

“That field is unveiling itself to us as we move forward, and it’s an important reason for us to have a dedicated ministry that’s going to track developments in that area and make sure that the Manitobans are protected from some of the downsides and have the benefits of the upsides,” said Moroz.

The other new members of cabinet are Mintu Sandhu, MLA for The Maples, who will be in charge of delivering public services, and Nellie Kennedy, MLA for Assiniboia, as minister for sport, culture, heritage and tourism, a portfolio previously held by Glen Simard.

“We’ve decided that it would be good to bring a few more ministers on to the team so that they can focus on some of these priorities, like building up the economy and ensuring that the work that we do in government is relevant to (Manitoba) families,” said Kinew.

Kinew’s cabinet grew from 15 to 18, including the premier.

Among the existing cabinet members, those in core portfolios remain the same.

Uzoma Asagwara is still deputy premier and health minister, while Adrien Sala continues to head up the Finance Department and Matt Wiebe is still in charge of the justice portfolio.

Ron Kostyshyn remains in charge of the Agriculture Department, Nahanni Fontaine continues in the families portfolio and Tracy Schmidt is still environment minister.

Schmidt will also continue as acting minister of education in place of Nello Altomare. Altomare stepped aside temporarily over a month ago for medical reasons.

Glen Simard takes over as minister of municipal and northern relations, a job held by Ian Bushie. Bushie is now in charge of natural resources and Indigenous futures.

Jamie Moses had been in charge of natural resources as part of his Economic Development ministry. Moses’s new remit is titled Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation.

The new cabinet is expected to gather again on Tuesday with the reading of the throne speech to open the next legislature session.