Manitoba’s NDP cabinet to get a makeover

WINNIPEG — Manitoba premier Greg Selinger will rearrange the front bench of his NDP government Wednesday.

READ MORE: Full list of Manitoba cabinet ministers

Thompson MLA Steve Ashton is expected to be brought back into cabinet in a swearing-in ceremony at the legislature. Ashton stepped down as minister of Infrastructure and Transportation to run in the NDP’s leadership contest and the portfolio has been juggled since then by Agriculture minister Ron Kostyshyn. Ashton also gave up his role as NDP House Leader.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Ashton dropped out of the March leadership vote after the first ballot, leaving Selinger to battle it out with Seine River MLA Theresa Oswald. Selinger won by just 33 votes on the second ballot.

Oswald was among five top NDP ministers who quit their posts in the rebellion against Selinger’s leadership.

It’s unknown if Selinger will welcome any of the former rebels back into cabinet; it would show that the province’s governing party is healing its public rift, but could also force Selinger to kick to the backbench MLAs who remained loyal to him and replaced the rebels in cabinet earlier this year.