Eileen Clarke returns to Manitoba cabinet, new seniors minister added in shuffle

The Manitoba government's new cabinet has three new faces, as well as that of a popular minister who had previously resigned under discord with then-premier Brian Pallister.

Premier Heather Stefanson announced a shuffle Tuesday that removed Ralph Eichler, who was agriculture minister, and Cathy Cox, who was the minister for sport, culture and status of women, from the Progressive Conservative government's cabinet.

In their place are three new faces: Turtle Mountain MLA Doyle Piwniuk as infrastructure minister, Lagimodière MLA Andrew Smith — who takes over sport, culture and heritage, and as minister responsible for Travel Manitoba and the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation — and Assiniboia MLA Scott Johnston, taking on the newly minted department of seniors and long-term care.

Johnston's department is tasked with implementing all recommendations of the Stevenson review into the deadly 2020 COVID-19 outbreak at Maples personal care home in Winnipeg, Stefanson said.

Eileen Clarke is back in cabinet as minister of municipal relations, a portfolio that returns her to a somewhat familiar spot. 

She had been serving as minister of Indigenous and northern relations when she resigned from cabinet in July 2021, after Pallister made comments that unleashed a firestorm of criticism for downplaying the harms of colonialism in Canada.

Alan Lagimodiere took her place under the newly named ministry of Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations, a role he retains in the new cabinet.

The rest of the cabinet is made up of returning ministers but with some tweaks.

Stefanson said a number of portfolios have been reframed to address the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19, a plan for economic growth and recovery, and a better focus on the priorities of all Manitobans.

The premier has also named a minister of labour — a position that has not existed in the Manitoba government since the Progressive Conservatives took power in 2016. 

Reg Helwer was named as the new minister of labour, consumer protection and government services, as well as minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board and minister responsible for the civil service.

Manitoba Federation of Labour president Kevin Rebeck called the appointment "long past due."

"The absence of a labour minister had made us an outlier in Canada for nearly six years. We are glad to finally have someone to work with on important issues that matter to working people in our province," he said in a statement.

But the appointment is a "bare minimum," Rebeck said, citing "a desperate need" for government to fix chronic staffing shortages in health care and other areas of the public sector.