Wab Kinew was born on December 31, 1981, in Kenora, Ontario, Canada. He is a Canadian politician who has served as the 25th premier of Manitoba since October 2023.
Kinew is the first First Nations premier in Manitoba’s history.
Who is Wab Kinew?
Wab Kinew leads the Manitoba New Democratic Party and has served as premier since his party’s victory in the 2023 provincial election.
Before entering politics, he built a career as a broadcaster, musician, and author.
His path to office began with his election as MLA for Fort Rouge in 2016.
He became leader of the Manitoba NDP and leader of the Opposition in 2017. His 2023 election win made Manitoba the first Canadian province to elect a First Nations premier.
Early Life of Wab Kinew
Kinew was born Wabanakwut Kinew to parents Tobasonakwut Kinew and Dr. Kathi Avery Kinew. His family has roots in the Onigaming First Nation in northwestern Ontario, and the family later moved to Winnipeg.
His father was a First Nation leader and university teacher, and his mother worked in policy.
Tobasonakwut Kinew survived abuse at a residential school as a child, which shaped his relationship with his son. Kinew and his father did not reconcile fully until 2012, shortly before his father died of cancer.
Kinew has written openly about struggling with anger and substance use as a young adult before turning his life around.
Wab Kinew Age
Wab Kinew is 44 years old as of 2026, born on December 31, 1981. His zodiac sign is Capricorn.
He built his political career gradually, first winning elected office in 2016 at age 34.
Wab Kinew Ethnicity and Nationality
Wab Kinew is Canadian by nationality. He is Anishinaabe, with roots in the Onigaming First Nation in northwestern Ontario.
His cultural background has shaped much of his public work, including his advocacy for Indigenous rights and reconciliation.
He speaks Ojibwe, English, and French.
Wab Kinew Height and Weight
Wab Kinew stands about 6 feet tall, or 183 centimeters. His weight is reported at around 180 pounds, or 82 kilograms.
He maintains an active public presence consistent with his broadcasting and political career.
Wab Kinew Education
Kinew attended the University of Winnipeg Collegiate before earning a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Manitoba.
He later completed a master’s degree in Indigenous governance at the University of Winnipeg.
That academic background supported his later work in journalism and Indigenous policy.
Wab Kinew Career
Wab Kinew has worked across music, broadcasting, writing, and politics over the course of his career. His path to public office grew out of years of media and community work.
That combination of experience shaped his public profile before he entered elected politics.
Early Career
Kinew was a member of the hip-hop groups Slangblossom and the Dead Indians in the mid-2000s. He released his debut solo album, Live by the Drum, in 2009, which won an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award for Best Rap or Hip-Hop CD.
He followed that with a second album, Mide-Sun, in 2010.
Alongside his music career, Kinew worked as a broadcaster and journalist, including hosting programming for CBC Radio and CBC Television. He also hosted the documentary series Fault Lines on Al Jazeera America.
Writing Career
Kinew published two books during this period of his career. Go Show the World, a children’s book, and The Reason You Walk, a memoir centered on his relationship with his father.
The Reason You Walk became a national bestseller after its 2015 release.
He won the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for that memoir, which described his path toward reconciling with his father before his father’s death.
Political Career
Kinew was elected MLA for Fort Rouge in April 2016. He became leader of the Manitoba NDP and leader of the Opposition in September 2017.
He led the party through the October 2023 provincial election, defeating incumbent premier Heather Stefanson.
Kinew was sworn in as the 25th premier of Manitoba on October 18, 2023. During his first year in office, he introduced a provincial fuel tax holiday that ran through the end of 2024.
Wab Kinew Awards and Recognition
Kinew won an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award for Best Rap or Hip-Hop CD for his 2009 album, Live by the Drum.
He also received the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for his 2015 memoir, The Reason You Walk.
He has served as an honorary witness of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Wab Kinew Wife
Wab Kinew married Dr. Lisa Monkman, an Ojibwe family physician, in September 2016. The couple announced they were expecting their first child together in 2017.
Kinew also has two sons from an earlier relationship.
Monkman has largely stayed out of the public spotlight, though she has appeared alongside Kinew at public and community events.
Wab Kinew Children
Wab Kinew has three sons in total. Two are from an earlier relationship, and one son was born in May 2017 with his wife, Lisa Monkman.
Wab Kinew Net Worth
Estimates of Wab Kinew’s net worth are around $3 million as of 2026.
His income comes primarily from his salary as premier of Manitoba, along with earnings from his earlier broadcasting career and book royalties.
The Bottom Line
Wab Kinew became the 25th premier of Manitoba in October 2023, making Manitoba the first Canadian province to elect a First Nations premier.
He built that political career after years as a broadcaster, musician, and bestselling author.
He wrote openly about his relationship with his father in his 2015 memoir, The Reason You Walk, which won the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.
Kinew continues to serve as premier, addressing issues including provincial infrastructure and Indigenous relations in Manitoba.
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