WINNIPEG – Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew shuffled his cabinet Wednesday, adding three new faces and creating a department of innovation and new technologies.

The Innovation portfolio will be led by Mike Moroz.

The goal is to grow the province’s technology industry and modernize government services.

The other new cabinet members are Mintu Sandhu, who will be in charge of public service delivery, and Nellie Kennedy, minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism.

“After years of cuts to health care and rising costs of living, our government is working to give Manitobans a reason to hope for a better future,” Kinew said in a news release announcing the makeup of the new cabinet.

“Today we renew our commitment to providing good lives for families, with refreshed, focused government departments and dedicated new ministers. »

Among the existing cabinet members, those occupying the main portfolios remain the same.

Uzoma Asagwara is still Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, while Adrien Sala continues to head the Finance Department and Matt Wiebe is still in charge of the Justice portfolio.

Ron Kostyshyn remains responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Nahanni Fontaine continues the Family portfolio and Tracy Schmidt is still Minister of the Environment.

Schmidt will also remain acting education minister in place of Nello Altomare. Altomare temporarily withdrew more than a month ago for medical reasons.

Glen Simard takes over as Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations from Ian Bushie. Bushie is now responsible for natural resources and the future of the native people.

Jamie Moses was in charge of natural resources within his Ministry of Economic Development. Moses’ new mandate is titled Business, Mining, Commerce and Job Creation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 13, 2024.