Wab Kinew spends half a million dollars on Washington optics

Manitobans are paying more than half a million dollars for a trade envoy in Washington while the premier responsible for the hire publicly mocks the administration that the envoy is supposed to work with. That contradiction alone should raise serious questions about whether this expensive arrangement has any chance of delivering real results.

Documents obtained through freedom of information legislation show Manitoba’s trade envoy to the United States, former CBC and CTV reporter Richard Madan, is earning $29,166.67 US per month in consulting fees. That amounts to $350,000 US annually. Based on the Bank of Canada exchange rate on Sept. 17, 2025, the day the contract was signed, that equals roughly $481,600 Canadian.

The contract also allows Madan to claim up to $25,000 US each year for hospitality and diplomacy expenses and up to $1,000 US per month for additional operating costs in Washington, D.C. When those allowances are included, the total compensation package can reach more than $530,000 Canadian. CBC reported the details after obtaining the contract through a freedom-of-information request.

Half a million dollars is a serious amount of public money, particularly in a province that continues to run deficits and where many households are struggling with rising costs. It is also a remarkable figure when compared with public salaries. Madan’s consulting fee alone is roughly two and a half times the salary of Manitoba’s premier and exceeds what Canada’s prime minister earns.

When government spends that kind of money, Manitobans are entitled to ask what they are getting in return.

So far, the results are difficult to identify. Other provinces have been aggressively pursuing international trade opportunities with measurable outcomes. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has travelled abroad securing billions of dollars in trade agreements involving uranium, agriculture and energy exports.

Manitoba has not produced anything comparable since hiring its envoy.

The lack of results would already raise concerns about whether the contract represents good value. The situation becomes more questionable when you consider the political messaging coming from the premier himself.

Premier Wab Kinew has repeatedly taken public shots at U.S. President Donald Trump, including suggesting at a recent news conference that the conflict involving Iran might somehow be connected to the Epstein files. Those remarks may attract attention, but they do nothing to strengthen Manitoba’s relationship with the American administration responsible for trade decisions affecting this province.

Diplomacy requires discipline. Trade negotiations depend on credibility and respect between governments. When the premier publicly mocks the leadership of the country his envoy is supposed to influence, it undermines the very purpose of hiring that envoy in the first place.

You cannot expect to build stronger trade ties with Washington while simultaneously insulting the people you need to work with.

The premier’s comments are also troubling because they demonstrate a casual approach to serious geopolitical issues. The Iranian regime has a long history of violence against its own citizens and support for terrorist activity across the Middle East. Thousands of protesters have been killed in crackdowns by the regime, and women continue to face harsh repression under its laws.

Security concerns related to Iran also extend to Canada. Federal officials have estimated that roughly 700 individuals linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may be living in this country. That organization has been associated with terrorism and destabilizing activity across the region.

These are complex matters that require careful diplomacy and informed leadership. They are not issues that should be reduced to speculation or political commentary delivered at a news conference.

Manitobans elected a premier to govern this province, not to play the role of national political commentator. The challenges facing Manitoba are clear and immediate. Businesses across Winnipeg continue to deal with crime and public safety concerns that affect commercial districts. Health care access remains inconsistent across the province, particularly in rural communities. The provincial deficit continues to put pressure on future budgets.

In that environment, every major spending decision should deliver measurable value.

Half a million dollars could fund student employment programs across Manitoba during the summer months. It could support small business initiatives, invest in community safety measures or simply reduce borrowing by lowering the provincial deficit. Those options would produce tangible benefits for people across the province.

Instead, taxpayers are funding an expensive Washington contract while the premier appears more interested in building a national political profile than delivering economic results for Manitoba.

Manitobans deserve clear answers about what this investment is producing. If the province is going to spend more than $500,000 on a trade envoy, the public should be able to point to new investments, expanded exports or major economic agreements that justify the cost.

Right now those results remain difficult to see.

Premier Kinew would be wise to focus less on geopolitical commentary and more on the responsibilities he was elected to carry. Manitoba does not need a premier playing the role of activist on the global stage. It needs a premier working to strengthen the province’s economy, improve public safety and ensure public money is spent with discipline.

Manitobans are paying more than half a million dollars for diplomacy in Washington.

The least they should expect is evidence that it is actually working.