Rochelle Squires

Rochelle Squires is a former Canadian politician who served as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for the riding of Riel from 2016 to 2023.

Rochelle Squires
9th Deputy Premier of Manitoba
In office September 1, 2021 – November 3, 2021
Premier	Kelvin Goertzen Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Kelvin Goertzen
Succeeded by	Kelvin Goertzen
Minister of Families
In office January 5, 2021 – October 18, 2023
Premier	Brian Pallister Kelvin Goertzen Heather Stefanson
Preceded by	Heather Stefanson
Succeeded by	Nahanni Fontaine
Minister of Municipal Relations
In office October 23, 2019 – January 5, 2021
Premier	Brian Pallister
Preceded by	Jeff Wharton
Succeeded by	Derek Johnson
Minister of Sustainable Development
In office August 17, 2017 – October 23, 2019
Premier	Brian Pallister
Preceded by	Cathy Cox
Succeeded by	Sarah Guillemard
Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage
In office May 3, 2016 – August 17, 2017
Premier	Brian Pallister
Preceded by	Ron Lemieux
Succeeded by	Cathy Cox
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Riel
In office April 19, 2016 – September 5, 2023
Preceded by	Christine Melnick
Succeeded by	Mike Moyes
Personal details
Political party	Progressive Conservative (before 2023)[1]
Spouse	Daniel
Residence(s)	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Alma mater	University of Winnipeg (BA) Red River College University of British Columbia (MFA)

A member of the Progressive Conservative Party, she was first elected in the 2016 Manitoba election, defeating NDP incumbent Christine Melnick.^[2][3]

Career

Squires was first elected as MLA for Riel after defeating NDP incumbent Christine Melnick in the April 2016 Manitoba election.^[2][3] The Conservatives also replaced the NDP's majority government with one of their own. Squires was described by Steve Lambert of CBC News as "one of the more progressive members of [the Conservative] caucus".^[4]

On May 3, 2016, Brian Pallister took office as the Premier of Manitoba. He appointed Squires to the Executive Council of Manitoba as Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage, Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, and Minister responsible for Status of Women.^[5][6]

On August 17, 2017, Squires was shuffled out of the Ministry of Sport, Culture and Heritage but retained her other titles.^[7]

In September 2019, she and the PC government were re-elected in that year's provincial election. That October, she became Minister of Municipal Relations and continued her role as Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs.^[8]

Brian Pallister resigned as premier of Manitoba on September 1, 2021. Subsequently, Premier Kelvin Goertzen selected Squires to serve as Deputy Premier of Manitoba, the position Goertzen himself held before Pallister's resignation.^[9]

In the 2023 Manitoba general election, Squires lost her seat to NDP challenger Mike Moyes, who had unsuccessfully challenged her in 2019.^[10] The NDP also replaced the PCs as the governing party. She retired from politics and left the PC party the following day.^[11]

Personal life

Squires and her husband Daniel have a combined family of five children and two grandsons.

Squires holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of Winnipeg, a journalism diploma from Red River College, and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of British Columbia.^[8]

Electoral record

v t e 2023 Manitoba general election: Riel
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Mike Moyes	6,160	54.65	+19.26	$31,115.65
	Progressive Conservative	Rochelle Squires	4,278	37.95	-6.80	$37,725.59
	Liberal	LéAmber Kensley	834	7.40	-6.51	$2,610.52
Total valid votes/expense limit			11,272	99.23	–	$67,371.00
Total rejected and declined ballots			88	0.77	–
Turnout			11,360	65.70	+2.46
Eligible voters			17,291
	New Democratic gain from Progressive Conservative		Swing		+13.03
Source(s) Source: Elections Manitoba[12][13][14]

v t e 2019 Manitoba general election: Riel
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Rochelle Squires	4,734	44.75	-6.2	$40,281.22
	New Democratic	Mike Moyes	3,744	35.39	+6.3	$19,468.95
	Liberal	Neil Johnston	1,471	13.90	-5.5	$773.76
	Green	Roger Schellenberg	630	5.96	+5.3	$5.54
Total valid votes			10,579	99.13
Total rejected ballots			93	0.87
Turnout			10,672	63.24
Eligible voters			16,875
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		-6.2

v t e 2016 Manitoba general election: Riel
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Rochelle Squires	5,024	51.00	+10.98	$31,878.00
	New Democratic	Christine Melnick	3,053	30.99	-23.70	$28,196.03
	Liberal	Neil Johnston	1,627	16.52	+11.62	$9,674.30
Total valid votes/expense limit			9,704	100.0		$47,429.00
Eligible voters			14,372
Source: Elections Manitoba[15][16]

v t e 2011 Manitoba general election: Riel
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Christine Melnick	5,352	54.69	−2.50	$28,596.10
	Progressive Conservative	Rochelle Squires	3,916	40.02	+9.33	$28,104.49
	Liberal	Cheryl Gilarski	480	4.90	−7.09	$2,997.99
Total valid votes			9,748
Rejected and declined votes			38
Turnout			9,786	64.14
Registered voters			15,257
Source: Elections Manitoba[17]