Leadership Beyond Partisanship: Wab Kinew, Team Canada, and the Evolution of Indigenous Leadership
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026
Across Canada, a new model of leadership is emerging—one that moves beyond partisanship and places Indigenous leadership at the centre of nation-building.
This shift also challenges a common misconception—that Indigenous leaders elected to public office will focus only on Indigenous issues, rather than representing all constituents.
As my great aunt, Eleanor Brass, wrote in I Walk in Two Worlds:
“It has never ceased to be interesting to be an Indian and to walk in two worlds—watching, learning and trying to understand the many cultures and the thinking of the various races of people.”
That insight remains deeply relevant today. As Indigenous peoples continue the work of decolonizing ourselves, we are also navigating and understanding non-Indigenous systems and perspectives.
For Indigenous leaders in public office, this means representing all constituents—while carrying the responsibilities and perspectives of First Nations into modern governance.
A Moment That Calls for Clarity
There’s something worth recognizing in how Wab Kinew has chosen to lead—particularly in his response to U.S. tariffs and the rhetoric of Donald Trump.
This isn’t symbolic politics. It is a coordinated economic and political response.
By maintaining Manitoba’s stance on U.S. liquor and tying normalization to the lifting of tariffs, Kinew has demonstrated a form of leadership that is grounded in strategy, not spectacle. It is a reminder that provincial leadership, when aligned with national interests, can play a meaningful role on the international stage.
The Return of “Team Canada”
What we are seeing emerge is something Canada does well—when it chooses to.
A “Team Canada” approach.
Leaders from different political traditions, including Premier Doug Ford, have shown a willingness to align behind Prime Minister Marc Carney in response to shared external pressure. This is not about ideology. It is about coordination, stability, and protecting Canadian interests.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has acknowledged the benefit of a Team Canada approach working with Prime Minister Carney that brings trade deals and opportunity to Saskatchewan and Canada alike.
That is what mature governance looks like: recognizing when the moment demands unity over division.
A Question of Leadership in Alberta
This is where the contrast becomes more apparent. I don't want to give to much air to Danielle Smith's lack of Team Canada Spirit, so this why it's not an important piece of this blog. There are other Alberta Leader's that can be acknowledged like former Alberta Deputy Premier PC MLA Thomas Lukaszuk and his Forever Canadian ballot initiative.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has an opportunity to contribute to this unified front. At a time when external pressures—from tariffs to geopolitical uncertainty—require cohesion, a coordinated national approach may prove more effective than internal division.
This is not a question of political alignment. It is a question of strategic positioning.
Canada’s strength, particularly in moments like this, has always been its ability to act collectively.
Indigenous Leadership in a National Context
Kinew’s leadership also carries deeper significance.
As Canada’s first First Nations provincial premier, his role represents more than a political milestone—it reflects the continued evolution of Indigenous leadership within Canada’s governing institutions. This is not about representation alone; it is about influence, decision-making, and shaping outcomes that affect all Canadians.
His response to current pressures demonstrates that Indigenous leadership is not peripheral to national issues—it is central to them.
NOTABLE MANITOBA
Manitoba has proven to be a place for Indigenous leaders being elected to Public Office and elevated to higher office. In addition to the Premier there are four other Indigenous cabinet ministers.
- Ian Bushie: Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures.
- Nahanni Fontaine: Minister of Families.
- Bernadette Smith: Minister of Housing, Addiction, and Homelessness.
- Glen Simard: Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism
Port of Churchill Project
Prime Minister Marc Carney and Premier Wab Kinew have signed a new agreement to fast-track major projects, including the Port of Churchill. By streamlining approvals, this partnership aims to unlock economic growth, strengthen northern trade corridors, and expand Canada’s global market access—positioning Manitoba as a key gateway for international trade.
But this moment didn’t happen in isolation—it is built on decades of Indigenous leadership asserting its place within Canada.
From Meech Lake to Today: A Continuum of Leadership
Nearly 35 years ago, Elijah Harper stood in the Manitoba Legislature and halted the Meech Lake Accord.
It was a defining constitutional moment. Harper stood firm—often alone—in defence of First Nations and the broader integrity of Canada.
That moment reshaped the country.
Today, we are witnessing a different kind of moment. Not constitutional, but economic and political. Not defined by a single vote, but by coordinated leadership.
Harper asserted Indigenous and Canadian sovereignty in a constitutional context. Kinew is doing so in an economic one.
Not alone this time—but leading.
The Standard Moving Forward
Canada works best when it acts as a team.
That means premiers, regardless of political stripe, recognizing when the national interest requires coordination. It means aligning where it matters, even when disagreement exists elsewhere. Premier Wab Kinew shows the nation you can be an Indigenous Premier and leader can fight for Canada and Indigenous peoples rights at the same time, it's not mutually exclusive.
This is the standard.
And in this moment, Wab Kinew is meeting it.
From Elijah Harper’s stand in 1990 to today’s nation-building partnerships, Indigenous leadership is not on the margins of Canada—it is helping define its future.
