Premier Designate Wab Kinew facing 'rich challenge' forming his inner circle: political scientist

A more powerful say at the table, a bump in pay and a bigger spotlight – those are some of the perks that come with being a cabinet minister.

The province will soon find out who is in Premier Designate Wab Kinew's inner circle when he and his team are sworn in on Wednesday.

Kinew has 34 MLAs to choose from.

"It's really a rich challenge for the Premier to put together a cabinet," said Chris Adams, adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba.

Of his team of 34, Kinew has promised his inner circle will reflect the province.

There are some returning Winnipeg MLAs who have served in Kinew's shadow cabinet in opposition who could be at or near the top of the list.

Names including Health Critic Uzoma Asagwara, the first non-binary MLA in the Legislature, and Nahanni Fontaine, the NDP house leader and long-time advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Adrien Sala served as the finance critic, Nello Altomare, who was Kinew's education critic, and Caucus Chair Bernadette Smith, plus others like Matt Wiebe, Mark Wasyliw, Jamie Moses, and Lisa Naylor.

"There would be people who've been very prominent in the caucus over the past number of years in opposition who will expect, who will be very disappointed if they are not given cabinet posts," Adams said.

The political scientist said Kinew will also have to find ways to have other parts of the province represented on his cabinet.

On Wednesday, the province will not only find out who gets into cabinet, but how many people get in. Kinew has said previously it will be a smaller cabinet than the outgoing Progressive Conservative cabinet which had 18 ministers.

Kinew has also pledged there will be Métis representation.

The premier designate is to be sworn-in Wednesday during a ceremony at The Leaf inside Assiniboine Park. The province has said the ceremony will be colourful, and will include singers and dancers, and will honour the seven Indigenous First Nations in Manitoba.