What Wab Kinew has planned for health-care, homelessness and the landfill search

Premier Wab Kinew's cabinet meets for first time Manitoba's new Premier Wab Kinew met with his newly sworn-in cabinet Thursday morning for the first time.

One day after Wab Kinew’s historic win, the premier designate spoke to the media about his plans for health-care, homelessness and searching the Prairie Green Landfill.

On Wednesday, Kinew held a news conference at the Manitoba Legislative Building, where he thanked Manitobans for putting their trust in the NDP to form the next government.

“I will commit to you again today that we are going to work hard every single day to repay the debt of gratitude that we feel for this opportunity by fixing your health-care and by making life more affordable for your family,” he said.

During the news conference, Kinew touched on a number of topics, including the search of the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran.

Kinew said it will be important to his government to try to search the landfill.

“I think the first task before us is to go through the transition and be sworn in as a new government and then this will be one of those items that we’ll want to tackle in the very early days of our administration,” he said.

Kinew’s comment comes after the Progressive Conservatives ran election ads that highlighted their decision not to search the landfill.

The premier designate said the PC’s ads at the end of the campaign were “very divisive and in some cases very bizarre.”

“What I am proud of is that Manitobans rejected that message of division and you embraced a message of positivity," he said.

HEALTH-CARE

Health-care was a core aspect of Kinew’s campaign, and he continued to focus on the issue at Wednesday’s news conference.

He said fixing Manitoba’s health-care system will involve increased staffing and improving working conditions in the health-care system.

“We are going to deliver real results for you, the people of this province,” he said.

“We know that this is not going to be easy work, but we also know that the way we do difficult things in the province is by doing those things together.”

Kinew also pledged to provide immediate help to Manitobans in terms of affordability.

HOMELESSNESS

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham released a statement on Tuesday, congratulating Kinew on his win and saying he is optimistic about what they can achieve together in terms of homelessness.

Kinew said he agrees with Gillingham’s sentiment, adding that Manitoba needs to do better when it comes to homelessness in Winnipeg and across the province.

“I think partnering with other leaders, such as Mayor Gillingham, is going to be very important, so that Winnipeg’s downtown, which is Manitoba’s downtown, is a place that everyone enjoys,” he said.

STEFANSON AND LAMONT

At the news conference, Kinew thanked PC Leader Heather Stefanson and Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont for their service. Both Stefanson and Lamont stepped down on Tuesday night.

“I want to say that leading a team and serving Manitobans takes heart,” Kinew said.

“This is a job in which we give it our all and I know that each of you have done the same.”

As for information on the government’s cabinet appointments, Kinew did not provide further details.