Khan shuffles critic roles for Tory MLAs
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Manitoba’s Opposition Progressive Conservative party has reshuffled its critics.
PC Leader Obby Khan announced the new roles as the legislature resumed on Wednesday.
“The changes I’ve made to the critics’ duties will continue to hold Wab Kinew and the NDP accountable for the broken promises and failures they’ve made over the first half of their mandate,” Khan said in a news release Wednesday.
Newly elected PC MLA Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods) is led to the Speaker for the traditional introduction by the PC House leader, MLA Derek Johnson (right), and PC party Leader Obby Khan (left) on her first question period during the first day of the second session of the 43rd legislature on Wednesday afternoon. (Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press)
The switch affects several Westman MLAs.
Brandon West MLA Wayne Balcaen remains the critic for justice and public safety, while trading the Manitoba Public Insurance critic portfolio for Elections Manitoba.
Turtle Mountain MLA Doyle Piwniuk takes on the critic role for transportation and infrastructure. Piwniuk was formerly the transportation and infrastructure minister when the PCs were in power.
Jodie Byram (Agassiz) remains the critic for families, accessibility, women and gender equity, and will add culture, heritage and tourism.
Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain) stays on as the critic for environment and climate change, and for Efficiency Manitoba.
Swan River MLA Rick Wowchuk was reassigned as critic for natural resources and Indigenous futures.
And newly elected MLA Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods) is the critic for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, and for military affairs.
Balcaen is also a deputy whip.
“The changes build on the strengths of each PC MLA and provide them with a broader depth of knowledge in their new portfolios,” Khan said.
The PCs currently hold 21 out of 57 seats in the provincial legislature. Twenty of them now hold critic or caucus officer roles, with only Jeff Wharton (Red River North) not holding a portfolio.
Wharton recently came under fire after he, along with former premier Heather Stefanson and former deputy premier Cliff Cullen, violated the province’s conflict-of-interest law.
The three former ministers unsuccessfully tried to push through approval of a silica sand mining project following the party’s defeat in the October 2023 provincial election.
Westman’s two NDP MLAs currently hold cabinet positions.
Brandon East MLA Glen Simard is the minister of municipal and northern relations and minister responsible for francophone affairs and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.
Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn is the agriculture minister.
The last time the NDP shuffled its cabinet was last November.
» alambert@brandonsun.com