Premier Wab Kinew and his cabinet were sworn in on Wednesday
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A familiar face is returning as the voice of Manitoba farmers in the provincial legislature.
Premier Wab Kinew introduced Ron Kostyshyn as minister of agriculture during his government’s swearing in ceremony on Wednesday.
This is Kostyshyn’s second stint as Manitoba’s ag minister.
The MLA for Dauphin served as minister of agriculture, food and rural initiatives under Premier Greg Selinger from 2012 to 2016.
During that time he helped establish a task force to address climate-related challenges, supported investments into the McCain Foods potato processing plant in Carberry and also took on the transportation and infrastructure portfolios following Steve Ashton’s resignation.
Kostyshyn grew up on his family’s farm in Mossey River and is aware of the challenges facing Manitoba farmers and rural communities.
“The biggest challenge in this constituency is maintaining family farms to support the economy growth of those farms and the economic spin-offs our rural communities depend on,” he said in a 2023 election profile.
Manitoba’s ag community welcomed the new ag minister.
“Minister Kostyshyn’s past experience in this role, as well as personal experience as a producer, should provide confidence that Manitoba producers will continue to have a voice at the cabinet table when key decisions are being made that affect their farm operations,” Keystone Agricultural Producers General Manager Brenna Mahoney, said in a statement.
The province’s pork sector is ready to work with Minister Kostyshyn.
The industry supports people in rural and urban communities, said Rick Préjet, chair of Manitoba Pork.
“The sector drives jobs and economic growth in urban communities and rural areas alike, including in places like Brandon, Winnipeg, and Neepawa,” Préjet said in a press release. “Communities throughout the province are thriving because Manitoba is a leader in both modern hog production and value-added processing.”
The remaining ministers in Premier Kinew’s cabinet are:
- Uzoma Asagwara (Union Station): deputy premier, as well as minister of health, seniors and long-term care.
- Matt Wiebe (Concordia): minister of justice, attorney general, and keeper of the great seal of the province.
- Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): minister of housing, addictions and homelessness, and minister responsible for gender equity.
- Bernadette Smith (Point Dougals): minister of housing, addictions and homelessness, and minister responsible for mental health.
- Nello Altomare (Transcona): minister of education and early childhood learning.
- Ian Bushie (Keewatinook): minister of municipal and northern relations, and minister of Indigenous economic development.
- Malaya Marcelino (Notre Dame): minister of labour and immigration, and minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Board.
- Jamie Moses (St. Vital): minister of economic development, investment, trade and natural resources.
- Lisa Naylor (Wolseley): minister of transportation and infrastructure, minister of consumer protection and government services.
- Adrien Sala (St. James): minister of finance, minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, minister responsible for the Manitoba public service.
- Renée Cable (Southdale): minister of advanced education and training.
- Tracy Schmidt (Rossmere): minister of environment and climate change, minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba.
- Glen Simard (Brandon East): minister of sport, culture, heritage and tourism, minister responsible for francophone affairs, minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation.
Premier Kinew introduces Minister Kostyshyn at 1:06:00 of the video.