#Premier of Manitoba

[canadachronicles]

How wonderful! This is Canada!

[someguywriting]

Wab Kinew 🧡

[tomorrowusa]

While the US House of Representatives ousts its weakest Speaker in modern history, , Canada gets its first black Speaker of the House of Commons.

Canada’s House of Commons has elected Liberal MP Greg Fergus as speaker — the first time a Black Canadian will hold the role. Fergus, who represents a Quebec riding across the river from Ottawa, bested six other candidates: Chris d’Entremont, Carol Hughes, Alexandra Mendès, Peter Schiefke, Sean Casey and Elizabeth May. Fergus takes on the task of presiding over a fractious House. “What motivates me, and what I vow to work night and day to promote and advance, can be summed up in one word, respect,” Fergus said during a short speech before polling stations opened in the chamber. He promised to be “firm, thoughtful, collaborative, consistent and certainly fair.”

🍁 But that's not the only political first in Canada this week. 🍁

The province of Manitoba held elections on Tuesday which swept the left of center New Democratic Party (NDP) into power defeating the incumbent Progressive Conservative Party (PC). The Manitoba Liberal Party (MLP) placed a poor third in the election.

The leader of the Manitoba NDP is Wab Kinew who will become Canada's first indigenous provincial premier.

Manitoba NDP to form majority government in historic win for First Nations premier

Wab Kinew, who is to become Canada's first First Nations provincial premier, spoke to young Indigenous people and those from all backgrounds in his victory speech Tuesday after the NDP won a majority in the Manitoba election. "I was given a second chance in life," Kinew said to a cheering crowd. "And I would like to think that I have made good on that opportunity. And you can do the same." Kinew's late father was not allowed to vote as a young man under Canadian law at the time. His mother's birthday was election night, and he brought her on stage to celebrate the historic win along with his wife and three sons.

The NDP will end up with 34 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba – up from 18. The PC will have 22 – down from 35. And the MLP will have 1 – down from 3. There was one vacant seat prior to the election.

29 seats are required for a majority government.

[sonofsin]

every week I learn at least one new fucked up thing about my province

[dashofletters]

Canadian premiers converge in Winnipeg, kicking off a three-day long agenda - Winnipeg | Globalnews.ca

The nation’s territorial and provincial premiers convened in Winnipeg today, picking through a three-day agenda to address a number of issues. Top of mind at the day’s meeting was health care, which comes on the heels of a $46 billion funding announcement from the federal government to be used to revamp Canada’s public health care system. Announced in February, the funding puts the onus of…

[unsuitablepet]

If you are Canadian:

Please, for the love of God, write your MP, your MPP, and all the relevant cabinet ministers, and ESPECIALLY the premiers of Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec (where most of our critical minerals are), and beg them - actually, demand that they cut off critical minerals to the United States.

This is not about tariffs or a trade war. It is about crippling their military as best as we can and ceasing their supply of the uranium required to build bombs. We as their neighbours are not safe and we are currently actively supplying them with the materials with which to hurt us. Much more immediately - their own people (and I am especially counting undocumented migrants and indigenous people who are currently being sent to camps) are not safe and we are supplying them with the equipment with which to oppress and commit horrific acts of violence against them.

This isn't a game, this isn't funny, and it isn't theoretical. Fascism has arrived in America and it keeps teasing genocide. They have announced the plan to create an Iron Dome for America - something that they would not at all need if it they weren't concerned about foreign intervention... if they weren't planning on doing something worth intervening on. So long as we are fueling the growth of their military, we are complicit in the horrors that they are hoping to inflict on their people and eventually on ours. There are limits to what we can do from here, but we can demand this.

I have drafted a template letter below. Please feel free to use it and share it as needed.

To the Honourable [Representative's Name - use their honorarium],

I am writing to you as a concerned Canadian citizen to urgently request that the Government of Canada, in collaboration with provincial leadership—especially in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec—take immediate and decisive action to halt the export of critical minerals, including uranium, to the United States.

This appeal is not driven by economic considerations or trade disputes but by a profound moral and security imperative. The current trajectory of political developments in the United States poses an escalating threat to both regional and global stability. The militarization efforts south of our border, particularly the proposed establishment of an "Iron Dome" and the amplification of their military capabilities are deeply troubling. This, in combination with the dismantling of women's and LGBTQ rights, the establishment of offshore "camps" for migrants, and the surrender of classified information and critical government departments to an unelected oligarch, signal preparations for actions that could have devastating humanitarian and geopolitical consequences.

Canada's critical minerals are integral to the United States' military-industrial complex. As one of their largest suppliers, we are inadvertently enabling the potential for domestic oppression within the U.S., including actions against marginalized communities such as undocumented migrants and Indigenous populations, and increasing the likelihood of future aggression that could extend beyond their borders, directly impacting our own national security.

History has shown us that the facilitation of authoritarian regimes through resource support can lead to dire outcomes. As a nation that prides itself on upholding human rights, democracy, and international peace, Canada must not be complicit in actions that contradict these values. In continuing to supply their military with materials critical to their growth at this time, we are actively acting against these values, to potentially devastating consequences.

I respectfully but firmly demand that:

The Federal Government initiate immediate discussions to suspend all exports of critical minerals to the United States.

Provincial governments in all provinces collaborate to enforce these measures, recognizing their pivotal role in critical mineral production.

A comprehensive review be conducted to assess the ethical implications of Canada’s resource exports in relation to global security and human rights.

This is a matter of urgent ethical responsibility and national security. The time to act is now, before irreversible harm is done.

I look forward to your response and urge you in your capacity to take leadership in driving decisive action on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

[welldrawnfish]

Hey !! How are you ? Did anyone give you donations, could you afford your meds. I am really worried about you

Hello yes! I've gotten donations! Really its an outpour of help and im so grateful, ive been going through a rough time (not adhd related) and one adhd related the past few days sorry I've been quite! Ill make a comic on it, i really want too. but basically i just moved to ontario, but my adhd diagnosis is in manitoba. Ontario's Premiere (USA TRANSLATION: Governor) Doug Ford has stripped healthcare funding in order to push his agenda of privatized paid medical care like america. without proper funding, doctors leave for greener pastures. so stuff like ER wait times? 14 hours. Family doctors? Ive seen wait lists up to a year. He does this cause then he can point to the medical care and go, see how government healthcare doesnt work? We need to privatize it. So the only choice I have is using a walk in clinic. Where I literally see someone for abotu 10 minutes. Just enough for a specialist referral or med refill. But, Walk in clinics wont perscribe me adhd meds, only a family doctor can. And like I said, Wait times. And I wont even know if they are trans friendly and safe or if they will refuse my medication. Speaking with my pharmacist they told me about a site called Tia health. They ONLY perscribe adhd meds if they are the one who diagnosed you. And a diagnosis is 700$. But as of right now it might be my only option. I've gotten so much help, I'm almost there and able to afford that. And Im so so so grateful for everybodies help literally been crying about it. it shouldn't fuckin be this way, what that man is doing should be illegal. That shouldnt be a political tactic I hate it. Right now im rationing my last 4 pills, taking them only when I need to get work done. I'll prolly be quite for a bit longer since i dont want to allow myself anything that could become a hyperfocus loop without medication I have to work.

[winnipegwinterpeg]

Dozens of people outside Winnipeg's Brady Road landfill have built barricades and are signalling their unwillingness to leave, despite a noon deadline from the city to vacate the area and the possibility of legal action.

Cambria Harris, whose mother's remains are believed to be in the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg, is one of the people who called for the blockade to be erected and for others to join the demonstration at the Brady Road landfill.

The blockade of the city-run Brady Road landfill began Thursday after Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said the province would not support a search of the privately owned Prairie Green Landfill north of the city, where the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were believed to have been dumped last year.

"When you say you won't move forward with the search, you're telling my community that it's OK and that you condone the continuous dumping of Indigenous women," Harris said in an interview on Monday.

(…)

Harris's aunt, Melissa Robinson, said what's happening is not acceptable.

"We're talking about our women laying in landfills. You don't put a dollar on that — absolutely not. I don't care if it costs $200 million, $300 million, they need to go and get them. I'm not going to have my nieces go sit at a landfill to visit their mom for the rest of eternity. It's wrong."

(…)

Some members of the group of demonstrators at the dump moved to the Leaf — a conservatory in Assiniboine Park, where Manitoba's premier is hosting officials from seven provinces — on Monday afternoon.

Carrying drums and a megaphone, the people named missing women and chanted, "We are not trash," while demanding Stefanson reverse her decision.

After speeches were made by members of the group, they left peacefully.

The remains of Sue Caribou's niece, Tanya Nepinak, are believed to have been dumped at the Brady Road landfill in 2011, but none were found following a six-day search by police.

Caribou wants to see all landfills searched for the remains of missing Indigenous women.

"We want our loved ones home. We want closure," she said.

"No human being belongs in the trash."

[tinsnip]

“When Canadian actor and comedian Mike Myers, clad in a "Canada is not for sale" T-shirt, twice mouthed the words "elbows up" and tapped his own left elbow on Saturday Night Live last weekend, he was sending a not-so-subtle signal to his compatriots north of the border: Get ready for a fight.

Facing punishing tariffs on Canadian exports and repeated jibes from U.S. President Donald Trump about their country becoming the 51st state, Canadians were understandably riled. "Elbows up" became the rallying cry they'd been looking for.

Weeks earlier, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew had warned Canada "can't be a punching bag, and we have to get our elbows up" in the face of threatened tariffs.”

[canadachronicles]

What a beautiful day! Wab Kinew was sworned-in yesterday as the 25th Premier of Manitoba.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"BACK IN SNOW COUNTRY: Former Premier John Bracken, arriving today from Minneapolis, said the government he once led had made a miscue in its choice of Arbor Day. Heavy snow swirled around him when he stepped out of the Union Station after returning from Duluth. "This is no day to plant trees." he said. Left to right in the picture, taken by a snow-covered car, are Ross Brown of the Progressive Conservative staff, Ottawa; Dr. Douglas Bracken, his son; and Mr. Bracken." - from the Winnipeg Tribune. May 10, 1943. Page 3.

[piizunn]

not your founding father (mouthpiece)

My thoughts on Louis Riel being named first premier of Manitoba.

Taanshi kiyawow, Riel dishinikashoon. I descend maternally from seven Métis families from the historic Red River Settlement in Manitoba and Batoche, Saskatchewan. Notably, my Berthelett ancestors worked for the North West Company and were community leaders in the Métis settlement of Pointe a Grouette before it was systemically overtaken by French settlers who claim we formed no roots in the area (St. Onge). My Caron ancestors from Batoche fought in the North West Resistance alongside Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont. My fifth-great-uncle Jean Caron Sr. fought alongside his sons at the age of 52; his house still stands in Batoche to this day, where thousands of Métis make pilgrimages every year to remember the events of 1885. 

What do you know about Louis Riel?

I can only read his words and imagine what guidance he would have provided had he lived longer than 41 years. Or imagine myself in his place as he walked to the gallows on November 16th, 1885. As a child when I visited Manitoba my grandpa and my kokum would take me to visit his grave, just as they did with my mother, who named me ‘Riel’.

We are inextricably linked through time and across our homelands. What’s in a name? Unasked for? Not yet earned? I do not yet know who I am to my people but I carry an important name and the trickster’s spirit, and with these comes the responsibility of understanding and revealing cultural and societal truths (Stimson).

I am still growing into my name

Today I am a mouthpiece

An interpreter of the past

What do you know about the trial of Louis Riel?

July 31st, 1885, Riel gives his final speech. Historical weather data shows that it was a hot day in Regina. Cooler than the days before but still hot with the swelter of the plains. He spoke long, in English, not the language of his birth.

“The day of my birth I was helpless and my mother took care of me although she was not able to do it alone; there was someone to help her to take care of me and I lived. Today, although a man, I am as helpless before this court, in the Dominion of Canada and in this world, as I was helpless on the knees of my mother the day of my birth. The Northwest is also my mother; it is my mother country and although my mother country is sick and confirmed in a certain way, there are some from Lower Canada who came to help her to take care of me during her sickness and I am sure that my mother country will not kill me more than my mother did forty years ago when I came into the world, because a mother is always a mother, and even if I have my faults, if she can see I am true, she will be full of love for me.”

“When I came into the Northwest in July, the 1st of July 1884, I found the Indians suffering. I found the half-breeds eating the rotten pork of the Hudson Bay Company and getting sick and weak every day. Although a half-breed, and having no pretension to help the whites, I also paid attention to them. [...] We have made petitions, I have made petitions with others to the Canadian government asking to relieve the condition of this country.”

“We have taken time; we have tried to unite all classes, even may speak, all parties.”

“During my life I have aimed at practical results. I have writings, and after my death I hope that my spirit will bring practical results.”

“When we sent petitions to the Government, they used to answer us by sending police [...] There are papers which the Crown has in its hands, and which show that demoralisation exists among the police, if you will allow me to say it in the court, as I have said it in writing.”

“If I am blessed without measure I can see something into the future, we all see into the future more or less.”

“The only things I would like to call your attention to before you retire to deliberate are: 

1st That the House of Commons, Senate and Ministers of the Dominion, and who make laws for this land and govern it, are no representation whatever of the people of the North-West.

2nd That the North-West Council generated by the Federal Government has the great defect of its parent.

3rd The number of members elected for the Council by the people make it only a sham representative legislature and no representative government at all.”

“I have never had any pay. It has always been my hope to have a fair living one day. It will be for you to pronounce - if you say I was right, you can conscientiously acquit me, as I hope through the help of God you will. You will console those who have been fifteen years around me only partaking in my sufferings. What you will do in justice to me, in justice to my family, in justice to my friends, in justice to the North-West, will be rendered a hundred times to you in this world, and to use a sacred expression, life everlasting in the other.”

What do you know about Louis Riel?

I have done this walk in my mind so many times that I have lost count. Historical accounts of the day note that it was a chill, clear, autumn morning. The prairies stretched out, silver frost bathed in sunlight. He faced it all and was brave until the end. Despite reports of it being destroyed, former premier of Manitoba Duff Roblin and his family, and the RCMP gloat over the supposed fragments of the rope that hanged the traitor, and I wonder how long the rope would be if you lined up every single scrap of twine rumoured to be the noose that killed Riel?

Does it make you feel less guilty to call him a founding father? Canadians are only able to remember him through his murder and not through his words that can still animate his presence. Written words and objects once owned are ghosts, extensions of our bodies and spirits. When I read his letters and journals I see the urgency in his penmanship, and I think about the sweat and invisible oils of his skin becoming a part of each page as he wrote and wrote and wrote. I wonder where each journal travelled with him during his exile, and why he chose each book. There is one with an illustration of a guardian angel watching over two children, and I wonder if he thought of himself as one of them being shepherded through life by his ancestors. 

Canadians argue about whether or not Riel should have been hanged instead of talking about what he had believed and said and accomplished, and what he wanted to do with the rest of his life had it not been cut short. 

No one talks about his dreams or his fears, and he did not live long enough to answer the question of if he would have wanted to be revered as the first premier of Manitoba. Or, in response would he ask for clean water for all, to stop the sweeps, and starlight tours? Would he ask for the Winnipeg police to search the landfills for our murdered women instead of brutalizing and killing us? Would he call for an end to all colonialism and genocide? Or would he simply ask for a place to smudge and be in peace for a while?

When we send petitions to the government they still answer us by sending the police, before turning around and calling Louis Riel a founding father (Riel).

Canada cannot answer these questions for him by giving him that title posthumously, only sit with the discomfort of blood-soaked hands, and wonder how different things would have been had that sacred fire not been snuffed out in 1885.

I cannot answer these questions for him either

And I am still growing into our name.

Works Cited

Riel, Louis. Excerpts from his final statement in court on trial, July 31st, 1885

Stimson, Adrian, “Buffalo Boy: Then and Now.” Fuse Magazine, vol. 32, no. 2, 2009, pp. 18-25. 

St-Onge, Nicole J.M. “The Dissolution of a Métis Community: Pointe à Grouette, 1860–1885.” Studies in Political Economy 18.1 (1985): 149–172. Web. 

[just-ray]

What do you think about Northern Ireland or Manitoba's politics? I went to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly the other month and I quite enjoyed the tour. The tour guide was raised Francophone, which is interesting. They had a provincial election last year and the NDP won, meaning the premier now has the somewhat confusing title of first First Nations premier (mainly a confusing title because you say "first" twice in a row), which is not to say first Indigenous premier—Manitoba's first premier was a Métis man—because there are three main Indigenous groups in Canada. Also, I think Nunavut has only had Indigenous premiers, but I think they're Inuit, so Kinew is the first First Nations premier.

As for Sinn Féin, I don't mind them and I would probably vote for them if I was Irish, but some of their politics in the Republic seems like they aren't accounting for practicalities.

I think the Northern Irish political system is very interesting and kind of Alaskan.

This stream of consiousness is dated 20 September 2024 19:23 UTC-5

Ah lad that's a lot of words

But a lot of interesting words.

I find the difference between MPs and MLAs really interesting. In ireland, we have councillors (very local level. No national imput. Tends to be the start of someone's political career), Teachta Dala's (hs a constituency and can also work on a national level. Has a seat in the lower, widely considered MAIN house if the irish parliament) and Senators (usually the later years of someone's political career, but not necessarily. Does not have constituents, and will be corrected if they try to work on a level of constituency rather than a national level. Also arguably less power than TD's)

It's interesting because I researched Canadian and northern Irish MLAs for a bit after reading this and I know it's bad to compare, but I find that MLAs seem to be a mix of TD's and Councillors, while MPs seem to be a mix of TD's and Senators, although I could be wrong. I also find it interesting that MLAs and MPs mostly only have soft/agenda setting power. Irish TD's are allowed to be quite active in their constituencies.

May I also ask what you think of the NDP? As when I hear anything with the word democratic my brain goes "ding ding ding!" And I tend to like that party, however in Ireland, the theoretical most democratically and socially positive parties don't always take the most practical action, so it's about finding a balance, and it would be interesting to hear about how they are and how they're doing.

Also excuse my lack of knowledge on Northern Irish and Canadian politics, but can I ask, do Legislative Assembly parties mirror to Parliamentary (?) Parties. Eg, if you have party A, let's call them Tusa, in a Legislative Assembly, do you also have Tusa MP's?

Thanknyouuuuuuuuuiyu

[allthecanadianpolitics]

sorry if youve gotten this question before, or this just isnt what you focus on but considering all the things happening in the us right now would it be advisable for me (a trans guy) to move to canada? like how are you guys holding up in terms of policy around trans and gay people? and what city/providence would you most recommend, if any?

Things are mostly ok within the larger cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, etc) but some rural communities in bible belts have not been safe spaces for LGBTQ people.

One major concern is that the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada is a transphobe, and based on the polls consistent over the past year or so, he has a very real chance of becoming Prime Minister.

There has been a large rise in homophobic and trans phobic hate crimes in recent years. Its definitely not as bad as the USA, but things are not necessarily trending down either.

As far as which regions in general are safest:

Canada's most left party (NDP) is in control of two provinces, British Columbia and Manitoba. The party is very LGBTQ friendly. Additionally the Liberals are in power in Newfoundland & Labrador and Yukon and are also generally pretty supportive. All other provinces in Canada right now have Conservative governments. The territories of Northwest Territories and Nunavut don't have party affiliations.

There have been some Premiers who have taken transphobic stances and policies in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Alberta (all are run by Conservative governments).

Moving to Canada is also very expensive, very time consuming and is far from guaranteed unless you have jobs lined up for you, are wealthy, etc. I'm not saying to give up on the idea, just make sure you do the research and know what you're getting into.

Canada has a higher cost of living with especially high rent prices, particularly in Vancouver/Toronto and the neighbouring areas of BC and Ontario. So make sure to keep that in mind.

Hope this helps. I'm Trans too (Trans Femme) and happy to answer any other questions you have.

[she-is-ovarit]

More voices are joining the increasing calls to search the Prairie Green Landfill for the bodies of two Indigenous women believed to be buried there. Members of the Union of Taxation Employees marched in solidarity with the families, friends, and allies of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The union, representing more than 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency employees across the country, is holding a national convention in Winnipeg this week. On Thursday afternoon, members joined dozens of others from the community in a march from the Fairmont Hotel to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. More voices are joining the increasing calls to search the Prairie Green Landfill for the bodies of two Indigenous women believed to be buried there. Members of the Union of Taxation Employees marched in solidarity with the families, friends, and allies of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The union, representing more than 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency employees across the country, is holding a national convention in Winnipeg this week. On Thursday afternoon, members joined dozens of others from the community in a march from the Fairmont Hotel to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. "We decided to come here to strongly condemn the inaction of the City of Winnipeg, the police department, the Province of Manitoba, and the federal government," said Marc Brière, president of the Union of Taxation Employees. "Their refusal to search the Prairie Green Landfill is totally unacceptable." Brière spoke in front of a large crowd at the museum, with more people joining the chorus of voices asking for the landfill to be searched. "I'm asking you, if it would be three white women, if it were three white privileged males like myself, would they be searching the landfill?" he asked the crowd. "I think the chances would be greater." The remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are believed to be in the landfill. Myran's sister Jordan was among the family members who spoke at the rally. "I'd like to thank everyone who showed up today," she said. "And everyone that has showed up time and time again, for every protest and rally that we've put on." Brière said the entire Union of Taxation Employees supports the search. "We are here with you. We ask the municipality of Winnipeg, the police department, especially the premier of Manitoba…to get going and search the landfill," he said. "And the federal government to put the money on the table, to help out and get this done."

[megakg95]

Two bodies have been found and identified from the Prairie green landfill, North of Winnipeg MB.

Marcedes Myran, Long Plains First Nation

Morgan Harris, Long Plains First Nation

Two of four indigenous woman murdered by Jeremy Skibicki in 2022. He was convicted on four accounts of murder in the first-degree. Permission and funding to search the landfill didn't come till March 2024. The search started in December 2024 and results came February 26th, 2025.

Rebecca Contois, O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation

Her remains were the first to be found in a trash bin that lead to the search of Prarie green landfill.

The fourth and final woman was given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, translated to english means Buffalo Woman. The only evidence of the fourth victim was a reversible Baby Phat jacket.

Many voices spoke up to demand the search of the landfill. To name a couple would be the late Kathy Merrick, former grand chief of the assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Kyra Wilson who was the Long Plain first Nation chief and is now the grand chief of the AMC. Wab Kinew in his campaign for premier (he succeeded in October 2023) promised to implement the landfill search.

I'm glad it's happening and that they are still way under budget. Considering both of the former police chief, Danny Smyth and former premier, Heather Stefanson claimed it was too risky and the cost too grand.

(In my post about trans rights here in Canada I mentioned in the tags the crazy things that happen to indigenous people. I messed up my facts and this is to make it up. Its important to have your facts staight.)