Wab Kinew has officially become Manitoba's 25th premier in a swearing-in ceremony Wednesday morning.
Kinew took his oath of office, which was administered by Manitoba Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville, while wearing a ceremonial First Nations headdress in a ceremony at The Leaf in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park.
Kinew is also unveiling his cabinet at the swearing-in ceremony.
Uzoma Asagwara has been named health minister, Matt Wiebe is the new justice minister and Ron Kostyshysn is agriculture minister, a portfolio he held when he was previously in the legislature.
For the first time, Manitoba's cabinet includes First Nations women: Nahanni Fontaine, the new families minister, and Bernadette Smith, minister of housing, addictions and homelessness.
Wab Kinew has officially become Manitoba's 25th premier in a swearing-in ceremony Wednesday morning.
For the first time, Manitoba's cabinet includes First Nations women: Nahanni Fontaine, the new families minister, and Bernadette Smith, minister of housing, addictions and homelessness.
The colourful and tradition-filled ceremony honoured the seven Indigenous nations in Manitoba, featuring performances from the Norman Chief Memorial Dancers and Dakota Hotain Singers and the lighting of the Quilliq, a traditional Inuit oil lamp.
"You may not know this, but a First Nations woman has never sat at the cabinet table in Manitoba's history," Kinew said at a meeting of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs on Tuesday.
Once all the new MLAs are sworn in, there will be 10 Indigenous members of the Manitoba Legislature among the 34-member NDP caucus.
The Progressive Conservatives enter the new legislature with 22 MLAs, while Cindy Lamoureux will serve as the lone Liberal.
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