Rochelle Squires
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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.
A member of the Progressive Conservative Party, she was first elected in the 2016 Manitoba election, defeating NDP incumbent Christine Melnick.
Career
Squires was first elected as MLA for Riel after defeating NDP incumbent Christine Melnick in the April 2016 Manitoba election. 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".
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.
On August 17, 2017, Squires was shuffled out of the Ministry of Sport, Culture and Heritage but retained her other titles.
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.
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.
In the 2023 Manitoba general election, Squires lost her seat to NDP challenger Mike Moyes, who had unsuccessfully challenged her in 2019. The NDP also replaced the PCs as the governing party. She retired from politics and left the PC party the following day.
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.
Electoral record
| vte2023 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 |
| vte2019 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 |
| vte2016 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 |
| vte2011 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 |