Josh Guenter

Josh Guenter is a Canadian politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, representing the electoral division of Borderland. He was elected in the 2019 Manitoba general election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba. He was re-elected in the 2023 provincial election.

Early life Guenter was born in Altona, Manitoba, and grew up near the community of Gnadenthal. After graduating from high school, he studied briefly at the University of Manitoba and University of Ottawa. Guenter won the Manitoba PC Party nomination for Borderland on April 11, 2019. He was appointed Legislative Assistant to the Minister of Finance, and also served as the Legislative Assistant to the Minister of Health and Seniors Care, and as a member of the provincial Treasury Board. He has served on the Economic Growth and Development Committee of Cabinet, as well as the Public Sector Compensation Committee of Cabinet.

On October 24, 2023, he was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Transportation and Infrastructure and as the Shadow Minister for Consumer Protection and Government Services.

Guenter opposes Islamic education kits in Manitoba schools, telling media “Their [Government] priorities? Islamic tool kits in schools written by Muslim faith leaders,”. Guenter continued saying “I fundamentally believe their priorities are misaligned with where Manitobans are at today”.

In 2021, Guenter wrote an open letter to then Premier Brian Pallister outlining his opposition to the recently introduced vaccine mandate, saying "I've always had my red-lines, and this vaccine mandate is my red-line. I believe that a vaccine mandate runs counter to our most basic principles of civil liberties in the country. I don't think it's fair, moral, legal or right or acceptable under any circumstances to require people to accept into their body a substance they do not want."

In January 2022, Guenter was stripped of his legislative roles by Premier Heather Stefanson for supporting the Freedom Convoy protests.

In 2024, Guenter was criticized for a Facebook post responding to a fatal highway collision near Altona. In the post, he highlighted that the driver involved lived in Brampton, Ontario, and suggested that if the driver was not a Canadian citizen, he should be deported. He also linked the incident to what he described as the trucking industry’s reliance on “cheap foreign labour.”

The comments prompted backlash from community members and social‑media users, who accused Guenter of promoting racist and xenophobic narratives. Critics argued that the emphasis on the driver’s city of residence and the call to “send them back” echoed anti‑immigrant rhetoric. Guenter clarified his comments, stating that his intention had been to raise concerns about road safety and industry standards rather than target any individual or group.

In May 2026, Guenter faced criticism after referring to Saskatchewan farmer Gerald Stanley—who fatally shot Colten Boushie, a 22‑year‑old Cree man in 2016—as a “victim.” Guenter made the remark during debate on a resolution he put forward in the Manitoba Legislature concerning property owners’ rights to defend their homes. Members of the governing New Democratic Party condemned the comment, arguing that it minimized the death of an Indigenous man and risked inflaming racial tensions.

Personal life Guenter was a long-haul truck driver. He is married with five children.

Election results