Wab Kinew

Wab Kinew’s government is taking a protective, regulatory stance on youth access to online services. He announced that Manitoba will ban social media and AI chatbots for children and youth, indicating support for restricting these platforms to improve child safety.

Wab Kinew supports a Manitoba ban on children using social media accounts and AI chatbots, framing it as a child-protection measure. He says the province plans to protect kids from technology platforms that harm their development and is advancing the ban as a first phase in schools.

Wab Kinew supports restricting youth access to social media and AI chatbots, arguing that both pose similar harms to children’s developing brains. He says enforcement should target large tech companies with substantial fines rather than families or kids, and he opposes using ChatGPT-connected tools that feed children’s data to companies.

Wab Kinew supports restricting surveillance-related digital harms by moving to ban children from using social media accounts and AI chatbots. He frames this as protecting kids’ freedom and development from what he calls surveillance capitalism and harmful technology platforms.

Wab Kinew stated his Manitoba government would not participate in administering the federal assault-style firearms buyback, saying the program “didn't seem to be very efficient,” and therefore the province would not get involved in the buyback.

Kinew says he disapproves of drug use at any age but accepts the reality of ongoing use and rising deaths; his government is expanding treatment access, cracking down on traffickers, and pursuing harm-reduction measures to reduce fatalities and connect people to services.

Kinew supports opening a facility to involuntarily hold people intoxicated by drugs (including meth) for up to 72 hours under medical supervision to protect public safety and help individuals access addiction treatment, calling it long-overdue.

Kinew supports creating a province-wide drug enforcement task force involving the Winnipeg Police Service, RCMP and First Nations police to coordinate law enforcement efforts and 'bring the hammer down' on meth and other drug traffickers.

Wab Kinew supports maintaining and pursuing trade and cooperation with the U.S. while publicly condemning U.S. authorities' killings. He reached out to Minnesota's governor, offered provincial assistance, and called on President Trump to stop killing American citizens.

Kinew supports proactive crime-prevention for religious and cultural communities by creating a $1-million security enhancement fund and mobilizing expertise to fund lighting, cameras, alarms, controlled entry and security planning to protect groups from hate-motivated crimes.

Kinew says the arrest after the school incident shows police presence matters; he affirms that school resource officers have a role in schools, implying support for bringing or keeping officers stationed in schools to enhance student safety.

Kinew says that when a convicted sex offender breaches their bail conditions, the Community Notification Advisory Committee must consider the full context of the breach and prioritize public safety in decisions on public notifications, and he urged a review of the committee's criteria and guidelines.

Kinew prioritizes child safety in schools, urging mandatory safety reviews, advocating locked-doors policies, and supporting provincial measures (emergency plans and training) to prevent assaults—emphasizing that nothing matters unless children are safe and incidents must not recur.

Kinew wrote to the prime minister urging stiffer Criminal Code sentences for serial/repeat killers, reforms to the parole system (oversight and diverse parole-board composition), and independent/specialized review mechanisms to ensure justice and public safety.

Wab Kinew supports opening a supervised consumption site in Winnipeg to reduce overdose deaths, calling it a harm-reduction tool endorsed by doctors and addiction medicine and committing his government, via the throne speech, to open the facility in January.

Wab Kinew supports imposing long prison terms for those convicted of child pornography offences and opposes protective custody; he urged placing such offenders in general prison population, suggesting they should face violence rather than protected placement.

Kinew supports Bill 48 to increase maximum detention of intoxicated persons from 24 to 72 hours to address people high on methamphetamines and other long-lasting drugs, and he has threatened to recall the legislature repeatedly until it passes.

Kinew characterized recent arson and vandalism as possible examples of gender-based violence and Indigenous-specific racism, and said officials are discussing enhanced security for MLAs' constituency offices, including talks to increase funding for cameras and monitoring.

Wab Kinew supports worker protection measures that help injured workers—especially first responders—heal from workplace trauma and return safely to their families, coworkers, and communities. His statement emphasizes access to mental health recovery support after work-related injury or illness.

Wab Kinew says Manitoba’s Port of Churchill expansion could be transformative for the province’s economy and help it become a ‘have’ province within 5 to 10 years, while the other cited energy projects are already part of Manitoba’s existing growth path and not the key factor for ending equalization dependence.

Kinew supports expanding the planned sales-tax removal on prepared meals and snacks beyond grocery stores to include convenience and other retailers, so food and drinks bought to take home will be tax-free starting Canada Day, as in the upcoming budget bill.

Kinew demands the U.S. lift all tariffs and end tariff threats. He supports Manitoba’s boycott of American alcohol as negotiating leverage, calling tariffs among Trump’s worst policies and urging negotiators to “hit them where it hurts” until tariffs stop.

Kinew supports expanding a planned PST cut on ready-made and grab-and-go food and drinks to include convenience stores and mom-and-pop shops, removing PST on items like rotisserie chicken, pre-made salads, pop and Slurpees to make them cheaper.

Wab Kinew supports expanding Manitoba’s planned sales-tax exemption on prepared meals and snacks beyond grocery stores to include convenience/corner stores, saying such food and drinks bought to take home will be tax-free by Canada Day and formalized in the budget bill.

Kinew says Ottawa is pushing an accelerated timeline to get LNG exports moving through Churchill and warns Manitoba must advance the port expansion and related infrastructure within four years to secure federal support and the economic benefits, otherwise those opportunities will be lost.

Kinew supports developing energy and critical-minerals exports via the Port of Churchill, arguing icebreaking capacity is essential to keep Hudson Bay open. He has funded rail improvements and announced a new critical-minerals storage facility to advance the northern trade corridor.

Kinew says his government will spend a month evaluating a possible reduction to the provincial gas tax — having eliminated it in 2024 — and may cut it again if oil and pump prices stay high to relieve costs for middle- and low-income people.

Kinew says his government suspended the provincial fuel tax in 2024, calling that suspension the most important act by a Manitoba provincial government. He noted it was later reinstated at a reduced rate and raised the possibility of cutting the gas tax again.

Kinew supports and defended his government's 2024, one-year suspension of the 14 cents-per-litre gas tax, calling the reprieve the most important provincial action in Manitoba's history because it "gave power back to the middle class and to the low-income folks."

Wab Kinew said the upcoming budget may require the 'top one per cent' to pay more education property taxes, indicating support for raising taxes on the wealthiest as a revenue measure to help fund the provincial budget.

Kinew says his government plans to produce the country's lowest deficit in 2026–27, intends to balance the budget before the 2027 election, and aims to be fiscally responsible while maintaining necessary health‑care investments; he says the upcoming deficit will be 'quite a bit' lower.

Kinew supports bringing full bus manufacturing back to Winnipeg to strengthen Manitoba’s domestic supply chain, create good jobs, and advance a made-in-Canada low-carbon economy, reinforcing the province’s leadership in zero-emission transportation technology.

Wab Kinew says his government will prioritize lowering Manitobans' cost of living (alongside health care) over issues like permanently adopting daylight time, indicating limited time and resources will be devoted to reducing everyday costs for residents.

Kinew supports expanding the Port of Churchill and related infrastructure, promoting it as a military and logistical asset, and has suggested a pipeline and increased Arctic shipping (including LNG) to capitalize on opportunities and strengthen regional supply and trade routes through Churchill.

Kinew opposes punitive provincial boycotts in trade disputes and urges collaboration among premiers to protect jobs. He praised Ontario’s deal to keep Crown Royal on shelves, called for Ford to rethink the boycott, and emphasized finding a path forward that safeguards Gimli jobs.

Kinew urged Premier Ford to reconsider removing Crown Royal from LCBO shelves, noting the whisky is still distilled in Manitoba and warning against punishing Diageo in a way that would 'shoot ourselves in the foot,' calling for solidarity as 'Team Canada.'

Kinew pledges to eliminate Manitoba's reliance on federal equalization by 2040, pursuing major energy and infrastructure projects to grow the provincial economy and end the province's 'have-not' status within five to ten years rather than decades.

Kinew supports exploring and unlocking the Port of Churchill as a major seaborne trade hub and supply-chain asset, highlighting its potential for energy, defence and environmental roles, and stressing that expansion must centre local Indigenous and community voices.

Kinew advocates de-escalation of the Crown Royal interprovincial dispute, urging Diageo to provide a clear "path forward." He rejects retaliatory measures, favors diplomatic, cooperative solutions and stresses premiers' commitment to "Team Canada" rather than punitive retaliation.

Wab Kinew supports the federal GST rebate boost, endorsing the increase as a helpful short-term measure to assist average people with rising costs. He says any action that helps people put food on the table is a positive step amid inflation.

Kinew rejected Trump's characterization and threatened takeover, asserting Canada will not be 'taken over' by China or by Trump's threats; he emphasizes Canadian sovereignty, resilience, and refusal to be economically dominated, defending Canada's right to manage trade relationships.

Wab Kinew supports Manitoba's retail price freeze on one-litre milk cartons as a cost-of-living measure, saying it intentionally squeezes grocery chains' profit margins to save consumers money and asks chains to share the burden rather than producers or consumers.

Kinew welcomes progress toward reducing Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola as a positive development for Western Canada's agricultural exports, and he is seeking clarity on whether pork tariffs will be addressed because pork is important to Manitoba's economy.

Wab Kinew supports continuing hybrid/remote work for many public servants (maintaining a minimum in-office expectation), while urging managers—especially health-care management—to return in person and pledging to continue assessing the arrangement.

Kinew supports using a large Canadian flag as a symbol of resistance in the trade war with the United States, welcomed its display at the legislature, and said he would be open to obtaining another similarly-sized flag if the trade war continues.

Kinew says he will not implement the campaign promise to regulate retail gasoline prices; after review he dropped the plan, favors a permanent lower provincial fuel tax to align Manitoba with neighbouring provinces, and warns regulation could raise prices.

Wab Kinew supports cracking down on differential pricing by online and third-party delivery apps to ensure fairness and better grocery prices, and says the government is exploring expanded controls on milk pricing while balancing protection of Manitoba dairy producers' livelihoods.

Wab Kinew supports expanding Manitoba's temporary pilot allowing U.S. liquor sales, citing unexpectedly high demand and rapid purchases; he advocates enlarging the pilot to respond to strong business and consumer demand.

Kinew supports using the new law to remove restrictive covenants and increase grocery-sector competition to lower grocery bills; his government will challenge existing agreements and pursue hearings to change Manitoba’s economic structure to benefit average residents.

Wab Kinew opposes relaxing Manitoba's ban on U.S.-made alcohol, viewing the prohibition as a necessary response to U.S. tariffs and saying the province must 'maintain that vigilance' against the Trump administration. He also considered Nova Scotia's sell-off approach.

Kinew prioritizes building an overpass at the Highway 5/Trans‑Canada intersection, committing to begin design and land acquisition next year, allocating over $100 million, and aiming for completion around 2029–2030 to address safety concerns.

Kinew voiced support for the province's rental housing incentive (the tax credit), endorsing working with developers and the real estate sector to bring more rental units online, lower rents and boost economic opportunities.

Kinew prioritizes directing efforts and resources to rapidly move people from tent encampments into housing, supporting partner organizations and tools (such as the REIT) to build affordable units and continuing to push at the current pace to scale up housing.

Kinew supports Ontario’s anti-tariff ad and opposes President Trump’s tariffs, arguing they undermine traditional opposition to tariffs. He welcomes the ad’s attention on the issue, saying provoking Trump highlights that tariffs are wrong and harms Canada-U.S. relations.

Kinew publicly supported Ontario's anti-tariff advertisement and urged Doug Ford to continue it. He said the ads are effective, declared Canada stands with Ford, called the ad 'accurately and powerfully' representative of Reagan's views, and criticized Trump's tariffs.

Kinew urges Ottawa to scrap Canada's 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for China lifting tariffs on canola and pork, arguing the duty has created a two-front trade war harming Western Canada and urging the government to 'seize the opportunity'.

Kinew condemns the outgoing PC's attempt to push the mining approval as a violation of democratic norms and integrity, supports the ethics commissioner's enforcement, and said he wished the fines imposed on Stefanson and ministers had been higher.

Kinew acknowledged wildfire costs exceed the province's emergency reserve but said cost should not prevent helping people in need, indicating he prioritizes emergency spending and aid over strict adherence to current budget limits even if it affects the deficit.

Kinew supports prioritizing provincial investment in local infrastructure, endorsing the resurfacing of Mollard Road and the inclusion of a walking path. He emphasizes persistence to fulfill election commitments and that such investments improve safety, connectivity and support growth.

Kinew is optimistic the federal government will invest in the Port of Churchill and opposes using a Bill C-5 approach in Manitoba; he says supply-chain projects should be built with Indigenous partners and community representation for long-term success.

Kinew supports examining the former Manitoba Developmental Centre as a possible permanent provincial evacuation centre, has initiated an internal review, and emphasizes working with northern communities on evacuation logistics while balancing evacuation capacity with housing and homelessness priorities.

Kinew opposes the federal decision to lift retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports, calling it the wrong time and urging a stronger response to President Trump. He suggested removing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles as leverage to get China to drop canola duties.

Wab Kinew supports a ban on social media and artificial intelligence for children, framing it as a child-protection measure. He says the policy is necessary to safeguard children’s safety and appears to back provincial action to restrict these technologies for minors.

Wab Kinew supports banning youth from social media and AI chatbots, arguing platforms are intentionally designed to addict users, worsen anxiety and depression, amplify harmful comparisons, and must be restricted by Manitoba to protect youth mental health.

He supports re-establishing a cardiac centre of excellence at St. Boniface Hospital, prioritizing care for Manitobans with heart disease by expanding inpatient cardiology capacity, improving access to catheterization and timely valve implantation, and reducing emergency department pressure.

Kinew says seniors deserve quality of life in personal care homes, emphasizing respect, dignity and access to good food; he frames improving food and care as a responsibility to honour the contributions seniors made building the province.

Kinew says Manitoba must avoid repeating COVID-era ICU capacity failures by continuing and expanding ICU nurse training and recruitment. He calls the incoming cohort a milestone but urges ongoing training to support bedside staff and prevent out-of-province patient transfers.

Kinew supports opening and expanding the 72-hour detox facility to accept people highly intoxicated on meth, but insisted it was necessary to delay implementation until medical staff, equipment, training and safety standards were fully in place and experts’ concerns addressed.

Kinew says increasing physician recruitment, opening after-hours clinics and implementing online same-day booking will make it easier to see a doctor and reduce wait times; he commits to supporting front-line workers to deliver better health care to Manitobans.

Kinew supports introducing optional digital health cards and an app as a modernization measure, emphasizing convenience and data security. He frames it as voluntary, encourages uptake for those who find it useful, and dismisses mandatory or conspiracy concerns.

He asserts his government will eliminate long waits for emergency care, surgeries and diagnostic testing by the end of 2026, citing 3,500 net new health-care hires and pledging a patient safety charter, an end to mandated nurse overtime, and ratios.

Kinew announced the province will reverse its prior decision and guarantee continued coverage of the costly, life-sustaining drug for at least another year, committing Manitoba to secure funding or work with the manufacturer while urging federal regulators to gather necessary evidence.

Kinew supports opening a compassionate, humane facility in Winnipeg to detain intoxicated people up to 72 hours, diverting them from emergency rooms and public spaces, staffed by healthcare and nonprofit workers to provide addiction support and recovery pathways.

Kinew says the NDP is repairing infrastructure damage caused by the previous government, that rebuilding health-care capacity won’t be fixed overnight, and that Manitoba is now better prepared for the upcoming flu season due to those ongoing efforts.

Kinew commits to reopening Victoria Hospital's emergency room, ensuring local emergency care returns. He announced a construction tender and a projected opening in the first half of 2027, and says staff hiring and safety must precede the ER's reopening.

Kinew supports opening extended-hours primary-care clinics to divert non-emergency patients from emergency rooms, providing alternative options so people who need a doctor can avoid long ER waits and be seen more quickly, reducing pressure on hospitals.