Members are first elected to the legislature during general elections. General elections must be conducted every four years from the date of the last election, but the premier may ask for early dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. An election may also happen if the governing party loses the confidence of the legislature by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a confidence motion.[3]
Before 1888, Manitoba had no formal party system; premiers were officially non-partisan and were chosen by elected members of the Legislative Assembly from among themselves.[4]
Manitoba has had 24 individuals serve as premier since the province was formed, of which six were non-partisan, nine were Progressive Conservatives, four were Liberals, four were New Democrats and one was Progressive. However, during the early years of the province, the leading minister in the legislature was designated provincial secretary and the government was de facto led by the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba; it was not until 1874 that responsible government was introduced and the title of "premier" used.[5] The early provincial secretaries, as the most prominent elected officials in the province, are retroactively counted as premiers in modern sources.
This article only covers the time since the province was created in 1870. Before that, the territory was part of the District of Assiniboia in Rupert's Land, and was loosely controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company.[6]
Wab Kinew is the incumbent premier, since October 2023.
On 7 December 2023, Louis Riel was granted the honorary title of "First Premier of Manitoba" after the Louis Riel Act received royal assent.[7][8] As it is an honorary title, however, Alfred Boyd remains the official first premier of the province.
Officially titled as the Provincial Secretary of Manitoba until January 1871 and Minister of Public Works and Agriculture until December. In practice, Lieutenant Governor Adams Archibald acted as head of the executive branch of government.
Officially titled as the Provincial Treasurer during the time he is credited as being chief minister. In practice, Lieutenant Governor Adams Archibald acted as head of the executive branch of government.
Officially titled as Attorney-General during the time he is credited as being chief minister. In practice, Lieutenant Governor Adams Archibald acted as head of the executive branch of government.
^"Legislative Terminology"(PDF). Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Government of Manitoba. Archived from the original(PDF) on April 7, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
^Davd Burley, "The Emergence of the Premiership, 1870-1874," Manitoba Premiers of the 19th and 20th centuries, Barry Ferguson and Robert Wardhaugh, eds., Great Plains, 2010
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