WINNIPEG — Brian Pallister became Manitoba’s 22nd Premier Tuesday morning.
Pallister and 12 cabinet ministers were sworn in at a ceremony at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The cabinet is small and about two-third the size of the Selinger NDP government.
“This group, the size it is, I think is an optimum size. I didn’t enter into this structure without some forethought,” said Pallister.
Pallister added four women and eight men to his cabinet. Seven rural MLAs were named, but the cabinet does not include anyone from northern Manitoba or Brandon.
Some notable positions include Modern-Winkler MLA, Camerson Friesen, as the new minister of finance. Long running Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen is Manitoba’s new minister of health and the house leader. And Tuxedo MLA, Heather Stefanson is the minister of justice and the deputy premier.
List of Manitoba cabinet ministers
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- Brian Pallister – premier and president of the executive council; minister of intergovernmental affairs and international relations
- Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo) – minister of justice and attorney general; deputy premier
- Cameron Friesen (Morden-Winkler) – minister of finance
- Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach) – house leader and minister of health, seniors and active living
- Ian Wishart (Portage la Prairie) – minister of education
- Scott Fielding (Kirkfield Park) -minister of families
- Blaine Pederson (Midland) – minister of infrastructure
- Eileen Clark (Agissiz) – minister of indigenous and municipal relations
- Cathy Cox (River East) – minister of sustainable development
- Cliff Cullen (Spruce Woods) – minister of growth, enterprise and trade
- Ralph Eichler (Lakeside) – minister of agriculture
- Rochelle Squires (Riel) – minister of sport, culture and heritage
- Ron Schuler (St. Paul) – minister of crown services
Pallister estimates the smaller cabinet will save around $5 million, a small amount compared to the provincial deficit which is over $770 million.
But some analysts say it sends a string message.
“It’s saying we’re going to do things differently and that the old government was running large cabinets, giving positions to every back bencher, Tom, Dick and Harry, that sort of thing,” said Allen Mills, political science professor at the University of Winnipeg.
The new session of the Manitoba Legislature will begin Monday, May 16 with a speech from the Throne. The Progressive Conservative caucus will be supporting Charleswood’s Myrna Driedger, the current longest-serving MLA.
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