Wab Kinew

Early life and education

Wabanakwut Kinew was born on December 31, 1981, in Kenora, Ontario, and is a member of the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation. His father, Tobasonakwut Kinew, was a former local and regional chief and a professor of Indigenous governance at the University of Winnipeg. His mother, Dr. Kathi Avery Kinew, worked as a policy analyst. The family moved to suburban Winnipeg during his childhood, where Kinew attended French immersion at Collège Béliveau and spent summers in Onigaming. He completed his secondary education at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate, a private school he later described as one of the best in the city. Kinew pursued post-secondary studies at the University of Manitoba, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. He later undertook graduate studies in Indigenous governance, laying an academic foundation for his future work in reconciliation and public service. In a 2014 interview, he reflected positively on his high school experience at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate.

Broadcasting and media career

Kinew's media career began after a letter he wrote to the Winnipeg Free Press about Team Canada hockey caught the attention of a local CBC Radio producer. This led to his first documentary feature and launched his work in broadcasting. He became a reporter and host for CBC, contributing to local programs like the weekly arts magazine show The 204 in Winnipeg and the national documentary series 8th Fire in 2012, for which he received a Canadian Screen Award nomination. His role expanded to include hosting the documentary program Fault Lines on Al Jazeera America. Kinew became a familiar voice on CBC Radio, serving as a panelist on Canada Reads in 2014 where he defended Joseph Boyden's novel The Orenda, which won the competition. He later moderated the 2015 edition of the competition and guest-hosted the national program Q for two weeks in December 2014. In 2010, he was a finalist for the Future Leaders of Manitoba award, alongside other notable Manitobans like Olympic champion Jennifer Jones and radio personality David 'Ace' Burpee. His work in media established him as a prominent commentator on Indigenous and national issues.

Music career and artistic works

Parallel to his broadcasting work, Kinew developed a career as a hip-hop musician. In the mid-2000s, he was a member of the groups Slangblossom and the Dead Indians. He launched his solo career with the 2009 album Live by the Drum, which won an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop CD. His second album, Mide-Sun, followed in 2010. His early musical work included lyrics that he later acknowledged were misogynistic and homophobic, which became a subject of public scrutiny during his political campaigns. One such video featured a song with sexually explicit lyrics. As premier, Kinew has maintained a public connection to music. In March 2026, he posted on social media that music matters, especially in difficult times. In August 2026, he had a lighthearted encounter with musician Tate Hiebert at Seven Oaks Hospital in Winnipeg, where Hiebert performed a custom thirty-second jingle for him. Kinew also officially supported Manitoba's music scene, promoting the announcement that the JUNO Awards would return to Winnipeg in 2027.

Writing and university administration

Kinew has authored six books, all published by Penguin Canada, spanning memoir, children's literature, and young adult fiction. His 2015 memoir, The Reason You Walk, chronicles the year 2012 and his efforts to reconnect with his father. It addresses his past struggles with alcoholism, his assault conviction, and the offensive lyrics from his music career. A reviewer for The Globe and Mail called the book a must-read and a meditation on the purpose of living. The book won the 2016 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for non-fiction, which came with a $10,000 cash award. In 2018, he published the children's book Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes, featuring figures like John Herrington and Carey Price. Inspired by Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing and K’naan’s song Take a Minute, the book was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. His 2021 young adult fantasy novel, Walking in Two Worlds, about an Indigenous teen in a video-game universe, won an Aurora Award in 2022. Subsequent works include The Everlasting Road (2023), An Anishinaabe Christmas (2024), and We Are Who We Are (2026). Alongside his writing, Kinew worked in university administration. In 2011, he was named the first director of Indigenous Inclusion at the University of Winnipeg. He was later promoted to associate vice-president of Indigenous Relations in 2014 following a resignation. He also served as an honorary witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In 2014, he received an honorary doctorate from Cape Breton University.

Political ascent and leadership of the opposition

Kinew entered provincial politics in 2016 as the Manitoba NDP candidate for Fort Rouge. He had previously considered a run for the leadership of the Assembly of First Nations in 2014 but decided against it due to being newly married. His 2016 campaign faced controversy when past offensive social media comments and song lyrics were discovered, leading to calls for the NDP to drop him from the ballot. After apologizing, he won the seat on April 19, 2016, defeating Manitoba Liberal Party leader Rana Bokhari. He was subsequently named the NDP's spokesperson for reconciliation and opposition critic for Education, Advanced Learning, and Training, as well as for Housing and Community Development. In 2017, he entered the party's leadership race, defeating former cabinet minister Steve Ashton by a margin of 728 votes to 253 at the September 16 convention. This made him the first elected First Nations leader of a major party in Manitoba's history. As opposition leader, he introduced Bill 223 to establish September 30 as Orange Shirt Day. In 2019, he introduced Bill 228, the Sikh Heritage Month Act, and a private member's bill to bestow the title of honorary first premier on Louis Riel. He led the NDP through the 2019 provincial election, where the party gained six seats but the Progressive Conservatives were re-elected with a majority. Following the election, the NDP gained a lead in polling over the governing PCs, which tightened during the campaign period ahead of the 2023 election.

Premiership of Manitoba: policy and governance

Wab Kinew led the Manitoba NDP to victory in the 2023 provincial election, becoming premier on October 18, 2023. His government's early actions included implementing a campaign promise of a provincial fuel tax holiday until the end of 2024, a measure costing an estimated $340 million in foregone tax revenue. His administration launched a five-point plan on crime and public safety, which included creating a community monitoring and supervision program for chronic offenders. A major campaign promise was the search of the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of victims of the 2022 Winnipeg serial killings. The search began in December 2024, and the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were found on February 26, 2025, with identifications confirmed by police in March 2025. Premier Kinew stated the search concluded significantly under budget. In healthcare, his government expanded pharmacare to cover prescription birth control and menopause transition medications. It also expanded the capacity of existing health clinics, opened the first of five new neighbourhood health clinics, and began replacing paper health cards with plastic ones starting in 2025. The NDP's 2024 budget increased spending by six percent. In December 2024, he pledged to combat homelessness by starting to move people from encampments into proper housing in 2025. His government created a meth task force to combat drug trafficking. In energy policy, the government froze some electricity exports to the United States and redirected U.S. hydro exports to Canadian projects. In 2025, his government established a new Manitoba Crown Indigenous Corporation and signed agreements with other provinces to reduce interprovincial trade barriers. Kinew has promoted the expansion of the Port of Churchill, with a $51 million investment for the Arctic Gateway Group to improve the Hudson Bay rail line and build a new critical-minerals storage facility. His government's 2026 budget reported a $498 million deficit and included provisions such as the elimination of the provincial sales tax on groceries and a continued price freeze on one-litre milk cartons.

Personal life, legal history, and rehabilitation

Kinew has spoken about experiencing racially motivated assaults by adults during his youth in suburban Winnipeg. After moving out of his parents' home at age 19, he developed problems with alcohol, leading to several legal incidents. In February 2003, he was arrested for impaired driving after police observed him driving erratically. A near-empty bottle of gin was found in the vehicle and he refused a breathalyzer. For this, he was convicted of impaired driving. In June 2003, he was charged by the RCMP with two counts of domestic assault related to allegations by his then-girlfriend, Tara Hart, who stated he threw her across a room. The charges were stayed after court appearances between January and June 2004. Hart has maintained the allegations, while Kinew denies them. These charges became public in 2017 via anonymous emails to Winnipeg media. In June 2004, while bound by a court recognizance, Kinew was arrested for assaulting a taxi driver. The Crown prosecutor stated Kinew made racial comments, exited the cab at a red light, and punched the driver in the face before pushing him to the ground and kicking him. Kinew was convicted for this assault. His memoir presents a different account, stating a fight ensued after he hopped out without paying and the driver pushed him. Also in 2004, he received a conditional discharge for an assault in Ontario after a fight. Kinew has stated that in 2006 he was charged with stealing a money order, but that charge was stayed when he repaid the money. Kinew undertook significant personal rehabilitation, including attending sweat lodges and a sun dance ceremony where he fasted for four days. He began attending regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and quit drinking. He applied for a pardon in 2014, which was granted by the Parole Board of Canada in 2016, expunging records of his convictions for assault, impaired driving, and breaches of court orders. Kinew married Dr. Lisa Monkman, an Ojibwe family physician, in September 2016. They have a son together, born in May 2017, and Kinew has two sons from a previous relationship. He is trilingual, speaking Ojibwe, English, and French.

Questions about Wab Kinew

What is Wab Kinew known for before becoming premier?

Before his political career, Wab Kinew was widely known as a broadcaster for CBC Radio and Television, hosting shows like The 204 and the documentary series 8th Fire, which earned him a Canadian Screen Award nomination. He was also a hip-hop musician, releasing two solo albums and winning an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award in 2009 for Live by the Drum. Furthermore, he worked as a university administrator at the University of Winnipeg, first as director of Indigenous Inclusion and later as associate vice-president. He authored several books, including the award-winning memoir The Reason You Walk. His career in media, arts, and education made him a prominent public figure in Canada.

What are some of Wab Kinew's major accomplishments as premier?

Since becoming premier in 2023, Kinew has implemented several key policies, including a provincial fuel tax holiday until the end of 2024 and a five-point plan to address crime and public safety. His government fulfilled a campaign promise by searching the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of victims of serial killings, a project that concluded under budget in early 2025. In healthcare, his administration expanded pharmacare coverage for prescription birth control, opened new neighbourhood clinics, and began issuing plastic health cards. He created a new Crown Indigenous Corporation in 2025 and signed agreements to reduce interprovincial trade barriers. His 2026 budget included eliminating the provincial sales tax on groceries and continuing a price freeze on milk.

What controversies has Wab Kinew faced?

Kinew's past has been a source of controversy, particularly during his political campaigns. This includes the resurfacing of misogynistic and homophobic lyrics from his early music career and offensive social media posts. His legal history, including a 2003 impaired driving conviction and a 2004 assault conviction against a taxi driver, has also been scrutinized. Additionally, stayed domestic assault charges from 2003 became public in 2017 via anonymous emails. The complainant, Tara Hart, has maintained her allegations while Kinew denies them. Kinew has addressed these issues, apologizing for his past comments and writings, and has highlighted his personal rehabilitation and the pardon he received in 2016 which expunged these records.

What books has Wab Kinew written?

Wab Kinew is the author of six books published by Penguin Canada. His first was the 2015 memoir The Reason You Walk, which won the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize and a $10,000 award. He followed this with the children's book Go Show the World in 2018, which was shortlisted for a Governor General’s Literary Award. In 2021, he published the young adult fantasy novel Walking in Two Worlds, which won an Aurora Award. His subsequent publications are The Everlasting Road (2023), a holiday book titled An Anishinaabe Christmas (2024), and We Are Who We Are: An Ode to Indigenous Heroes Past and Present (2026). His children's book was inspired by works by Barack Obama and musician K’naan.

Why is Wab Kinew's premiership historically significant?

Wab Kinew's election as premier of Manitoba in 2023 is historically significant because he is the first provincial premier of First Nations descent in Canada. He is also Manitoba's first Indigenous premier since Métis Premier John Norquay, who left office in 1887. His leadership represents a milestone for Indigenous representation in Canadian politics. Furthermore, he was the first elected First Nations leader of a major political party in Manitoba's history when he became NDP leader in 2017, defeating Steve Ashton by a large margin. His premiership is often viewed in the context of reconciliation and increased Indigenous leadership in government.

What is Wab Kinew's connection to music in recent years?

Even as premier, Kinew maintains a public connection to music. In August 2026, he had a lighthearted encounter with musician Tate Hiebert at Seven Oaks Hospital, where Hiebert performed a custom thirty-second jingle for him after a press conference. Old rap videos from his music career periodically resurface online, with one from 2026 described as a newly leaked music video. As premier, he has officially supported Manitoba's music scene, promoting the announcement that the JUNO Awards would return to Winnipeg in 2027. In a March 2026 social media post, he stated that music matters, especially in difficult times, and that artists from Manitoba have helped shape Canada's soundtrack.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.