Heather Stefanson to deliver 1st throne speech as Manitoba premier Nov. 23
Premier also announces leadership team that includes former CBC Manitoba political reporter
The first session of the Manitoba Legislature under Premier Heather Stefanson will focus on creating a task force to tackle the backlog of surgeries and diagnostic procedures created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the province said Wednesday.
Manitoba's newly sworn-in premier called the session to begin on Nov. 23, when she will lay out her plan for her government in a speech from the throne, a press release from the province said. The legislative session will rise on Dec. 2.
The task force announced Wednesday will also work to enhance the province's intensive care unit capacity.
Last month, Doctors Manitoba released an updated report on the number of surgical and diagnostic procedures waiting to be performed in the province, which they estimated to be almost 130,000.
Creating a task force to deal with the backlog was one of their key recommendations.
Stefanson was sworn in as Manitoba's 24th premier on Tuesday, after being elected leader of the governing Progressive Conservative Party on the weekend. The leadership race was called when former premier Brian Pallister announced in August that he planned to step down.
In a news release on Wednesday, she also announced her senior leadership team.
It includes Sean Kavanagh, who has resigned from his role as a political reporter with CBC Manitoba. He will take on the job of communications director.
"It is an honour — and quite humbling — to have been asked by Manitoba's first female premier to work in her government. I can't wait to get to work," Kavanagh said in an emailed statement.
Jordan Sisson will be the premier's chief of staff, Bonnie Staples-Lyon will be her senior advisor and Brad Salyn will be director of policy.
Kelvin Goertzen, who served as interim premier after Pallister's resignation, will resume his role as deputy premier, minister of legislative and public affairs, and government House leader.
Stefanson called the start of her first session as premier the day after her opponent in the PC leadership race, Shelly Glover, launched a court challenge over alleged voting irregularities.
Glover filed a lawsuit with Court of Queen's Bench on Tuesday, asking the court to declare the leadership race results invalid and to order a new election.
The party has denied Glover's allegations, saying the race was run independently without favouring either candidate.