Jennifer Howard
For more than 20 years, Jennifer Howard has worked in provincial and federal politics – both in government and opposition. Elected to the Manitoba legislature in 2007, she served in a variety of Cabinet portfolios, including Labour, Finance, Family Services and as the first female Government House Leader. She is responsible for transformational legislation, like Manitoba’s first accessibility standards and North America’s first paid employment leave for victims of domestic violence. Prior to being elected, Jennifer was senior staff to Premier Gary Doer, as Director of Issues Management and health policy advisor.
After leaving office, Jennifer moved to Ottawa and became the Executive Director of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) – just in time to help federal public sector workers deal with the Phoenix pay system disaster. Most recently she was Chief of Staff to Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, where she helped negotiate the historic Supply and Confidence Agreement that resulted in Canada’s Dental Care Program. In 2024, she was named by the Hill Times as one of 100 “most influential people in federal politics” and one of the best political staff.
Last Revision: January, 2026