Interim Premier Kelvin Goertzen has appointed Families Minister Rochelle Squires to serve as deputy premier, along with other additional changes to several cabinet roles and responsibilities.

Squires was first elected in 2016 as the member of the legislative assembly for Riel and served in a number of roles including minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage, Sustainable Development, Municipal Relations, Families and the minister responsible for Status of Women and Francophone Affairs.

Other changes include:

  • Squires and Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler will join the Priorities and Planning Committee of Cabinet;
  • Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton will become the chair of the Regulatory Accountability Committee of Cabinet and Justice Minister Cameron Friesen will join the committee as vice-chair; and
  • Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere will join the Gender-Based Violence Committee of Cabinet.

These changes are effective immediately.

First elected in 2003, Goertzen was officially sworn in as Manitoba’s 23rd premier earlier on Sept. 1.