Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has named David Pankratz as the province’s first Minister Responsible for First Responder Initiatives, a new position dedicated to supporting the province’s fire fighters, paramedics and law enforcement personnel.
A Winnipeg fire fighter and member of IAFF Local 867, Pankratz was elected to the Manitoba Legislature in 2023 as part of the New Democratic Party (NDP) majority.
In his new role, Pankratz has been given a mandate to strengthen mental health and workplace supports for first responders, improve presumptive occupational disease coverage, engage frontline first responders in Manitoba’s response to the ongoing drug crisis, and strengthen emergency response capabilities across the province.
The announcement came just days after the provincial government committed to further expanding presumptive cancer provisions. In 2002, Manitoba became the first province in Canada to enact presumptive legislation covering occupational disease among fire fighters.
“Manitoba has a proud history of leading the way on fire fighter protection,” said IAFF Manitoba President Nick Kasper. “With the expansion of presumptive legislation and now a dedicated minister responsible for first responder initiatives, we have an opportunity to continue setting a standard for others to follow.”
Kasper, who is also president of Winnipeg Local 867, thanked Kinew for creating the new role and congratulated Pankratz, who spent 12 years as a Winnipeg fire fighter and remains an active IAFF member.
“This is an important recognition of the unique challenges faced by people who serve on Manitoba’s front lines,” Kasper said.
With the expansion of presumptive legislation and now a dedicated minister responsible for first responder initiatives, we have an opportunity to continue setting a standard for others to follow.
iaff manitoba president nick kasper
The new ministerial position comes at a critical moment for Manitoba’s first responders.
Winnipeg’s opioid crisis continues to place an unprecedented strain on the city’s fire fighters and paramedics. Fire fighter-paramedics responded to 3,604 opioid-related calls in the first seven months of 2026, surpassing the 3,270 calls recorded during all of 2025. In April alone, they treated 810 patients for opioid use, the highest monthly total ever recorded.
The escalating workload is taking a toll on frontline fire fighter-paramedics, who can find themselves responding to multiple overdoses involving the same patient during a single shift. Local 867 has long warned about the psychological impact of repeatedly responding to overdoses.
Staffing shortages are compounding the pressure as well. Difficult calls, increased violence, overtime and insufficient opportunities to decompress are contributing to burnout among fire fighters and paramedics.
In announcing Pankratz’s appointment, Kinew cited the need to address the drug crisis and its impact on the province’s first responder community.
“Our government wants to take care of the people who care for us by addressing burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Kinew. “We also want to involve them more directly in our work to make communities across Manitoba safer and cleaner.”
The IAFF represents more than 1,600 members across five Locals in Manitoba.
