Winnipeg at significant disadvantage without a voice at Carney’s cabinet table

Opinion

It’s an all-too-familiar feeling in Manitoba these days: a sense of being overlooked by Ottawa.

Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his much-anticipated cabinet Tuesday — a leaner, more “efficient” group, as he put it — meant to project discipline and regional balance.

But if this is what balance looks like, someone forgot to include Manitoba.

Despite sending six Liberal MPs to the House of Commons — including five from Winnipeg — only one made it into cabinet: Rebecca Chartrand, who won the Churchill-Keewatinook Aski riding in the April 28 federal election.

And while her appointment is a bright spot, the broader picture is a frustrating one for Manitobans.

Chartrand has been named minister of northern and Arctic affairs. She brings valuable experience as an Indigenous advocate and educator and has already shown promise as someone who will champion issues facing northern communities and Indigenous peoples.

Her inclusion in cabinet is well-deserved. It’s not her appointment that’s the problem — it’s that she’s the only one from Manitoba.

Winnipeg, home to about two-thirds of the province’s population and a hub of political, economic and social activity, has no direct voice at the cabinet table. Not one minister from the city. Not even a token post.

For many, the most glaring omission is Terry Duguid. The longtime MP from Winnipeg South has been a reliable, capable voice for Manitoba in Ottawa. He’s been loyal to the Liberal party, stuck through thick and thin, and has played key roles in portfolios ranging from environment to economic development.

Duguid’s absence isn’t just a political slight — it’s a strategic mistake.

Manitoba faces deep, structural challenges. The housing crisis here isn’t theoretical — it’s in full swing. Our child-care sector is stretched thin. Mental-health and addictions services are chronically underfunded and in need of federal support.

Winnipeg, in particular, is where those challenges are most visible — and where the solutions require serious federal partnership.

And let’s not forget the long-standing debates around equalization payments, where Manitoba has unique stakes in the national conversation.

Without a cabinet minister from the city, who’s going to push these issues to the forefront? Who’s going to advocate around the cabinet table when decisions are being made about infrastructure, funding formulas, transit or national strategies for housing and health care? Chartrand, a rookie politician, can’t do it all alone, nor should she be expected to.

Carney’s team may argue that representation doesn’t have to be strictly geographic — that voices from across Canada will be heard through consultation, not just cabinet titles.

But that’s cold comfort for Manitoba, which in recent years has often been under-represented in federal cabinet. In 2021, former prime minister Justin Trudeau unveiled a cabinet that included only one Manitoba representative, former Saint Boniface — Saint Vital MP Dan Vandal.

Historically, Manitoba would almost always have at least one high-profile regional minister (such as former MPs Lloyd Axworthy or Vic Toews) and one other cabinet minister to represent Manitoba’s interests. Not this time.

Cabinet appointments are not just symbolic acts. Not much happens in government without the focus and political will of individual cabinet ministers. Political decisions may ultimately be made in the Prime Minister’s Office.

However, unless an issue or a regional priority is championed by a member of cabinet, it has little chance of seeing the light of day.

To be fair, not every capable MP can be in cabinet. It’s a political puzzle with limited pieces.

Putting a cabinet together is one of the most challenging tasks for any first minister. They have to consider a multitude of factors, including regional representation, gender, racial and cultural background, competency and even party loyalty. Given those often competing criteria, there will always be some competent and worthy MPs left out of cabinet.

Still, when a province such as Manitoba sends strong candidates to Ottawa and delivers consistent electoral support, it’s reasonable to expect something in return. At least two seats at the table (Manitoba has 14 federal seats) — one from Winnipeg, one from outside the capital city. That’s not a big ask, it’s just fair representation.

Manitoba’s under-representation around the cabinet table not only stings politically, it could have practical consequences. Federal funding, including equalization and health-care transfers, don’t just flow automatically.

Advocacy around where and how tax dollars are spent matters. Lobbying matters. Cabinet ministers, including where they’re from, matter. And when decisions are being made on where to invest in infrastructure, where to pilot new social programs, or how to distribute federal health dollars, the voices in the room carry weight. History has shown that time and time again.

Manitoba is losing out on that.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca