Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine will not lose her position following her controversial comments about the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk. Premier Wab Kinew stated that Fontaine has been instructed to apologize for her remarks instead of facing dismissal.

On Thursday, Fontaine reshared a post on Instagram that labeled Kirk, who was 31 years old when he was killed, as a “racist, xenophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic” individual. In her post, which has since been removed, Fontaine expressed condolences to Kirk's family but stated she had “absolutely no empathy” for him, adding, “The man stood for nothing but hate.”

During a press conference on Friday, Kinew addressed the situation, saying, “It would be too easy to show her the door. It is a much harder task to say we’re going to work through this together.” He emphasized the importance of fostering understanding and compassion, stating, “I don’t believe in cancel culture and I think people need to be brought along.” Kinew highlighted the need for empathy, especially in times of division.

Fontaine later issued an apology on her Instagram story, stating, “I apologize for sharing a post yesterday on the murder of Charlie Kirk. Violence has no place in our democracy. Political debate is achieved with words and discussion.” She acknowledged the need for empathy, even towards those with whom one disagrees.

The post remained online for several hours before being taken down. Kinew had previously described Kirk's killing as “deeply disturbing.” Kirk was shot in a targeted attack while speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University, where he was pronounced dead shortly after the incident.

This incident marks the second apology Fontaine has issued this year. In June, she faced backlash for comments made during a private debrief with her staff, where she expressed frustration about an American Sign Language interpreter on stage. Fontaine later apologized, stating, “I sincerely apologize to the deaf and hard of hearing community, and to all Manitobans for my comments.” She explained that her remarks were a reflection of her own poor planning regarding sight lines at the event.