Uzoma Asagwara

Early Life and Pre-Political Career

Uzoma Asagwara was born in Winnipeg to parents of Igbo Nigerian descent. In 2008, they completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing from the University of Winnipeg and Brandon University. Prior to entering politics, Asagwara worked full-time as a registered psychiatric nurse, specializing in adult and youth mental health and addictions. Asagwara served as a member of the former Premier's Advisory Council on education, poverty, and citizenship, and as a member of the Women's Health Clinic board of directors. In 2014, Asagwara founded Queer People of Colour Winnipeg, a project dedicated to promoting the rights and safety of LGBTQ people of colour in the city. Their athletic career also distinguished them. Asagwara was the University of Winnipeg Female Athlete of the Year in 2005 to 2006. In 2007, they led the Canadian Interuniversity Sport in scoring with an average of 28.05 points per game. Asagwara was a member of the Canada women's national basketball team for two years and was part of the team at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Entry into Politics and Role in Opposition

Uzoma Asagwara entered electoral politics in the 2019 Manitoba general election, successfully winning the seat for the Union Station electoral district as a candidate for the New Democratic Party. Their election was historically significant, as they, alongside Jamie Moses and Audrey Gordon, became the first three Black Canadian MLAs ever elected in Manitoba. Asagwara also broke barriers as the first queer Black person elected to the legislature and Manitoba's first gender non-conforming MLA, publicly identifying as non-binary and using singular they pronouns. While serving in opposition, Asagwara was appointed as the Manitoba NDP's health critic, a role that leveraged their professional nursing expertise. During their first term, Asagwara advocated consistently for the recognition of Manitoba's diverse minority communities, and a key legislative achievement from this period was successfully passing a bill to officially establish Somali Heritage Week in the province. In November 2021, Asagwara was re-nominated to represent the New Democratic Party in the Union Station riding. As opposition critic, they focused on issues such as emergency room wait times, surgical backlogs, and the state of long-term care facilities, drawing on their frontline healthcare experience.

Appointment as Deputy Premier and Health Minister

Following the victory of the New Democratic Party in the 2023 Manitoba general election, Premier Wab Kinew appointed Uzoma Asagwara to the dual roles of Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care. This appointment made Asagwara the 11th Deputy Premier in the province's history and the first Black and first openly LGBTQ person to hold that office. The portfolio placed them in charge of one of the government's largest and most critical departments, responsible for overseeing hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, and pharmaceutical programs. One of their early policy announcements came in August 2024, when they declared that prescription birth control would be fully covered under the Manitoba Pharmacare program at an estimated cost of $11 million. As Health Minister, Asagwara has been actively involved in federal-provincial health funding negotiations. In 2026, they co-chaired a meeting of provincial and territorial health ministers in Winnipeg, following a federal announcement of a one-year extension of funding for mental health, addictions, and home care services. Asagwara publicly characterized the $1.2 billion extension as insufficient, warning that a fiscal cliff remained on the horizon for healthcare systems. They argued that the extension merely moved pressures down the road a bit and highlighted that other funding agreements, such as those for rare diseases, were set to expire in 2027. Their advocacy has focused on securing long-term, predictable funding increases for the Canada Health Transfer, and they have stressed the need for the federal government to be a reliable partner in sustaining critical health services for all Canadians.

Key Policy Areas and Advocacy

Uzoma Asagwara's policy work is deeply informed by their professional and personal experiences, focusing on healthcare accessibility, mental health and addictions, and equity for marginalized communities. Their announcement regarding free prescription contraception was a direct move to reduce financial barriers to healthcare, particularly for women and gender-diverse people. In their capacity as minister, they have also been involved in initiatives to recruit healthcare workers, including a plan to hire up to 90 new family doctors in Manitoba by 2029 supported by $6 million in federal funding. This aligns with broader goals of improving primary care access and reducing wait times across the province, and it reflects their understanding of workforce challenges from their nursing career. Asagwara's advocacy extends beyond provincial borders to the national stage, where they have been a vocal participant in intergovernmental health discussions. They have consistently pressed the federal government for a sustained increase in the Canada Health Transfer, advocating for it to continue growing by a guaranteed five per cent annually rather than the scheduled reduction to three per cent in 2028. They have criticized federal communications for being silent on long-term plans for bilateral agreements and the transfer, emphasizing the need for urgent negotiation. Their stance is supported by organizations like the Canadian Medical Association, which argues that long-term funding is essential for sustainable system improvements in areas like rural healthcare and health workforce stability, and Asagwara has used their platform to amplify these concerns at the ministers' table. Other policy priorities include expanding mental health and addictions services, improving seniors' care, and implementing the national dental care plan at the provincial level.

Electoral History and Political Milestones

Uzoma Asagwara was first elected as the MLA for Union Station in the 2019 Manitoba general election. They were re-elected in the 2023 Manitoba general election. Their electoral milestones are detailed in the following list. Asagwara won the Union Station seat in both the 2019 and 2023 elections, securing victories for the New Democratic Party.

• 2019: Elected as MLA for Union Station, becoming one of Manitoba's first three Black MLAs and the province's first non-binary MLA.
• 2019 to 2023: Served as the Official Opposition Critic for Health.
• During first term: Successfully passed legislation to establish Somali Heritage Week.
• November 2021: Re-nominated as the NDP candidate for Union Station.
• 2023: Re-elected in the 2023 Manitoba general election.
• October 2023: Appointed as Deputy Premier of Manitoba and Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care by Premier Wab Kinew.
• August 2024: Announced full Pharmacare coverage for prescription birth control.
• 2026: Co-chaired a meeting of provincial and territorial health ministers in Winnipeg, advocating for long-term federal health funding.

Asagwara's role as Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-term Care involves major policy files and intergovernmental relations. For example, in August 2024, they announced that prescription birth control would be fully covered under the Manitoba Pharmacare program at an estimated cost of 11 million dollars. They are also a member of the Treasury Board and the Priorities and Planning Committee of Cabinet, which oversees government spending and strategic direction. Asagwara was appointed to this cabinet position by Premier Wab Kinew following the New Democratic Party's victory in the 2023 Manitoba general election.

Personal Identity and Public Representation

Uzoma Asagwara's public identity is integral to their political profile and the barriers they have broken. They are openly non-binary and use singular they pronouns, making them the first gender non-conforming member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. This visibility provides representation for LGBTQ communities in provincial politics. Their identity as a Black Canadian of Nigerian Igbo heritage, combined with their queer identity, positions them at a unique intersection, which has informed their advocacy for queer people of colour through community organizing. Asagwara has spoken about the importance of this representation, noting that seeing diverse faces in government can inspire broader participation and trust in democratic institutions. Their background as a high-performance athlete and a healthcare professional further shapes their approach to leadership, emphasizing discipline, teamwork, and evidence-based decision-making. The combination of these identities, athlete, nurse, advocate, Black, queer, non-binary, makes Asagwara a distinctive figure in Canadian politics. They embody an approach to public service that draws on diverse lived and professional experiences to inform governance. Their career demonstrates how personal background can directly influence policy priorities, from healthcare access to the celebration of cultural heritage weeks, and their journey from the basketball court and hospital wards to the cabinet table is a notable narrative in contemporary Canadian politics.

Questions about Uzoma Asagwara

What are Uzoma Asagwara's main responsibilities as a Manitoba minister?

Uzoma Asagwara holds the dual roles of Deputy Premier of Manitoba and Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care. As Health Minister, they oversee the province's entire healthcare system, including hospitals, long-term care, public health, and pharmacare. A key policy under their tenure was making prescription birth control free under Manitoba Pharmacare in 2024. As Deputy Premier, they are the second-highest ranking member of the government, acting on the premier's behalf when needed and helping to coordinate the government's agenda. They are also a member of the Treasury Board and the Priorities and Planning Committee of Cabinet.

What historic firsts did Uzoma Asagwara achieve upon their election?

Upon their election in 2019, Uzoma Asagwara achieved several historic firsts. They became one of the first three Black MLAs ever elected in Manitoba, alongside Jamie Moses and Audrey Gordon. Asagwara is also the first queer Black person elected to the Manitoba legislature and the province's first openly non-binary or gender non-conforming MLA. Their later appointment as Deputy Premier in 2023 added two more firsts: they became the first Black person and the first openly LGBTQ person to hold that position in Manitoba's history. They are also the first psychiatric nurse to serve as Manitoba's Minister of Health.

What is Uzoma Asagwara's role in federal-provincial health funding discussions?

As Manitoba's Health Minister, Uzoma Asagwara is a key participant in federal-provincial health funding negotiations. In 2026, they co-chaired a meeting of provincial and territorial health ministers. They have been critical of short-term federal funding extensions, arguing that a one-year deal creates a fiscal cliff and lacks long-term certainty for health system planning. Asagwara advocates for the Canada Health Transfer to maintain a guaranteed five per cent annual increase and for the timely renewal of other bilateral health agreements. They have specifically called for new agreements on mental health, home care, and rare diseases before existing ones expire.

What community advocacy work is Uzoma Asagwara known for?

Uzoma Asagwara's community advocacy is extensive. They served on the former Premier's Advisory Council on education, poverty, and citizenship and on the board of the Women's Health Clinic. Their most prominent initiative was founding Queer People of Colour Winnipeg in 2014, a project aimed at promoting the rights and safety of LGBTQ people of colour in the city. As an MLA, they successfully passed legislation to create Somali Heritage Week, demonstrating ongoing advocacy for the recognition of Manitoba's diverse cultural communities. They have also been involved in advocacy for harm reduction services and safe consumption sites.

What did Uzoma Asagwara do before entering politics?

Before entering politics, Uzoma Asagwara worked full time as a registered psychiatric nurse specializing in adult and youth mental health and addictions. They were also a former elite basketball player, leading the Canadian Interuniversity Sport in scoring in 2007 and playing for the Canada women's national basketball team at the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil. As a community advocate, they served on the former Premier's Advisory Council on education, poverty, and citizenship and were a member of the Women's Health Clinic board of directors. In 2014, they founded Queer People of Colour Winnipeg.

What is Uzoma Asagwara's educational background?

Uzoma Asagwara completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing in 2008 from the University of Winnipeg and Brandon University. This degree directly supported their prior career as a registered psychiatric nurse, where they specialized in mental health and addictions. Their academic training provided the clinical foundation for their later political role as Manitoba's Minister of Health, Seniors and Long Term Care. Their time at university included significant athletic achievement, as they were named the University of Winnipeg Female Athlete of the Year for 2005 to 2006.

Sources and further reading

• Uzoma Asagwara (Wikipedia)
• Uzoma Asagwara, Cabinet Ministers (gov.mb.ca)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-31.