The Manitoba government has appointed a new board of directors for Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) in an effort to resume services and return financial accountability to the Crown corporation.
“We are acting quickly to appoint a proven team of leaders dedicated to setting a new direction and preserving our public auto insurance model,” said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe. “There is a clear need for oversight, accountability and a new relationship with employees, and I am confident that this board has the experience and ability to find that ground.”
MPI’s 1,700 employees have been on strike since Aug. 28 and an overhaul of the corporation’s technology systems has nearly tripled in cost to nearly $300 million, said the minister. The organization is also currently undergoing an external organizational review, noted Wiebe.
The new board of directors will be chaired by Carmen Nedohin, former chairperson of the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and a former Manitoba Hydro board member. Nedohin will be supported by several former MPI employees as well as labour and community leaders, and experts in asset management, information technology and actuarial science.
The board’s top priority will be to resolve the current strike with an agreement that is both fair to employees and responsible to Manitoba ratepayers, noted Wiebe.
“I am excited to start working with the board and want to thank all members for accepting this responsibility,” said Wiebe. “This board will stay on top of operations and provide the oversight required to return MPI to its once great status as a leader in the field providing Manitobans with affordable insurance.”
New board members are:
- Carmen Nedohin (chair)
- Gina McKay – president
- Luke Johnston – vice-president
- Candy Wong
- Fran Frederickson
- Marilyn McLaren
- JD Devgan
- Diane Roussin
Christian Dandeneau – co-founder and CEO of ID Fusion, an Indigenous-owned company; member of the federal external advisory committee on regulatory competitiveness; proud of his francophone Métis heritage.
MPI administers the Drivers and Vehicles Act on behalf of the Manitoba government and provides driver licensing and vehicle registration functions under the act. Its primary purpose is to administer the basic compulsory, universally available auto insurance program. MPI also offers optional expanded-benefits auto insurance for all Manitobans and auto insurance for fleets based in Manitoba. This year, its 50th year in operation, MPI administered more than 1.25 million policies and handled more than 260,000 claims.
