Photo by Whitehorse Star
DEPUTY MINISTER SHUFFLE - Premier Darrell Pasloski announced two new deputy ministers on Monday, in the Economic Development and Health and Social Services departments.
Photo by Photo Submitted
LUCRATIVE POSITIONS – This chart, shown on the Public Service Commission’s website, sets out the annual salaries earned by deputy ministers, managers and legal officers in the Yukon. GOVERNMENT OF YUKON CHART
Doors continue to spin for Pasloski’s DMs
Premier Darrell Pasloski announced yet another shake-up of deputy ministers in two departments Monday.
Premier Darrell Pasloski announced yet another shake-up of deputy ministers in two departments Monday.
That day, Justin Ferbey took over as deputy minister of Economic Development, a post previously held by Terry Hayden.
Bruce McLennan assumed the role of interim deputy minister of Health and Social Services, replacing Paddy Meade.
These appointments are the 11th and 12th in a series of changes to Pasloski’s senior management in the last year.
“It is of a concern to see the rather frequent rotation of deputy ministers,” Opposition Leader Liz Hanson said in an interview.
“A deputy minister sets the policy, direction and culture of a department. We’ve seen quite a churn of deputy ministers through the territorial government in the last four to five years, and that doesn’t help with continuity or stability.”
Pasloski has overseen a dozen deputy minister reassignments since last spring. His rate of senior management changes far surpasses that of previous premiers and government leaders representing all three parties.
In March 2015, Judy Arnold took over as interim deputy minister of Education from Valerie Royle, who resigned.
A major shuffle took place in April 2015, when four deputy ministers were reassigned: Joe MacGillivray was transferred out of his role as deputy minister to the premier and cabinet secretary and moved to the Department of Environment, replacing Jim Connell.
Connell took over as deputy minister of the Public Service Commission from Catherine Read, who was transferred to the Executive Council Office.
Murray Arsenault took over as deputy minister in the Department of Tourism and Culture after Jeff O’Farrell left that post.
Katherine White replaced Mark Tubman as deputy minister in the Department of Finance last August.
Another round of reassignments came in November 2015 to the Executive Council Office, the Department of Community Services, the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources (EMR) and the Department of Highways and Public Works.
Three of these appointments were made because deputy ministers retired, according to a Yukon government press release.
Read (Executive Council Office) was replaced by Kelvin Leary, Mike Johnson (Department of Highways and Public Works) was succeeded by Angus Robertson and Stephen Mills took over for George Ross (EMR).
Paul Moore was appointed to replace Leary in the Department of Community Services.
“The premier can make changes to people who serve as deputy minister at any time,” government spokesperson Catherine Wood said this week.
Hanson acknowledges that it is the premier’s prerogative to appoint deputy ministers, and that they don’t have the same protections as other public servants do.
Still, she said, “If you don’t have continuity of leadership at both ministerial and deputy ministerial level, that affects the ability of a department to actually carry out (a directive).
“If you’re the DM and you’re being switched all the time, or you’re coming in cold, it’s hard to brief your minister.”
Wood would not comment on the circumstances surrounding the sudden departures of Meade and Hayden.
She also declined to discuss whether the former deputy ministers will receive severance packages, citing employee-employer confidentiality.
“In other jurisdictions, they have a sunshine list,” Hanson noted.
“The public has a right to know the compensation that’s paid to senior positions.
“We don’t know what kind of compensation arrangements have been made for these contract positions. Nor do we know the terms of the severance packages.”
McLennan, who took over for Meade, has been chair of the Yukon Utilities Board, an arm’s-length government agency that regulates electricity rates and services provided by Yukon Energy and ATCO Electric Yukon, since 2010. He recently resigned this position.
Prior to this, McLennan had been a bureaucrat in the Yukon government for periods of time since 1980. He has served as deputy minister of Finance, Education and Health and Social Services.
McLennan currently resides in Nanoose Bay, B.C., according to his LinkedIn profile.
It remained unclear today whether he will relocate to Whitehorse.
Ferbey will continue on as president of the Yukon Development Corp., a Crown corporation mandated to promote the development of territorial resources, as well as employment opportunities for Yukoners, in addition to his responsibilities as deputy minister.
Ferbey previously served as a senior government official of the Carcross-Tagish First Nation, and as CEO of the Carcross-Tagish Management Corp.
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Comments (23)
Up 7 Down 0
Just so you know there was $200,000,000 on Mar 28, 2016 at 12:52 pm
in the bank. The NDP can't count 200M. Watch how fast the NDP and liberals would blow it on nothing like Ottawa.
Up 9 Down 16
Lost in the Yukon on Mar 24, 2016 at 4:23 pm
Dearest NDP and Liberals ... where did you ever get the $180,000,000 surplus number? Bad peyote? The Pharmacist had a surplus in excess of $70,000,000 when he took office. It is now below $10,000,000.
This means he has been running deficit budgets every year he has been behind the wheel.
He is leaving the cupboard bare and will hoist on the next government the responsibility of making difficult budgetary decisions. Which will make them unpopular. This is the Yukon Party's long game to win not this election but the next.
Up 37 Down 16
NDP and Liberals on Mar 24, 2016 at 12:13 pm
would love to be in power and spend our $180 million dollar surplus and take the Yukon right into deficit and have nothing to show for it in the end because of their lack of leadership skills.
Up 17 Down 21
konman on Mar 23, 2016 at 7:06 pm
Take a good, hard look at the Premier's photo. And then ask a simple question;"would you buy a second hand vehicle from this guy"?
Up 36 Down 20
67scotty10 on Mar 22, 2016 at 7:06 pm
As taxpayers we should demand to know what the DM's and ADM's get when the PAZ decides to get rid of them - we (Yukoner's) are paying for the Yukon Party's mismanagement of the hiring in the first place - we should be made aware of what it is costing us!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (over the last 8 years)
The long suffering Civil Servants are the ones who have to try and get the DM's who have no experience in a department (because they keep getting shuffled into areas that they know nothing about) to listen to reason but usually the DM's are so egoistical and arrogant they think every decision that they make is being made by a demigod.
Just remember - these un-knowledgeable DM's are the ones to advise the Minister's in the LEG. who know nothing about the department they are responsible for.
The blind leading the blind.
Up 33 Down 2
Thomas Brewer on Mar 22, 2016 at 1:21 pm
Wonder what these terminations are going to cost the taxpayer.... (LOTS)
Up 19 Down 9
Hartman on Mar 22, 2016 at 12:49 pm
Bring on the sunshine list... we need to know as taxpayers and citizens of this so small population of the Yukon. There is so much wastage of funds and most of all, productivity in governing for such a small population. So many top heavy deputies, directors, managers in all levels of govt. to run a small population. Granted yes, the size of the territory is big, but reality, you only govern the people and its actions, not the land, the land will work by itself in nature.
Up 32 Down 35
Really on Mar 22, 2016 at 11:24 am
Musical chairs at the senior levels of the government bureaucracy are not unusual. However, the rate at which the Paz is stopping the music is. One can only speculate that his strategy before calling an election is to appear to change his spots. But to no avail, because a blue Tories spots cannot be changed, maybe he and his crew have forgotten what conservatism really means. I for one will not be swayed by smoke and mirrors within the bureaucracy. And I will not forget the levels of autocratic actions made by the Paz and his crew. Call it, call it, call it. Your days are numbered and no matter how many bureaucrats you change, your spots won't.
Up 4 Down 3
Dirk on Mar 21, 2016 at 8:53 pm
Exactly!
Up 23 Down 4
Some people are just on Mar 21, 2016 at 9:24 am
Ignorant and they don't know. Fools never differ.
Up 36 Down 32
Dirk on Mar 21, 2016 at 3:06 am
The bottom line is that the Yukon Party wants to keep rotating people to cover up the corruption and Human Rights abuses that they are committing. It is not confined to DMs. The same is done with directors, managers, supervisors etc. When you see people hired to clean toilets and a year later they are an "Acting Manager" it makes you wonder. It seems they can pat somebody on the back and give them a bonus they'll fetch any bone you throw at them. Especially uneducated people and people with low self esteem.
Up 35 Down 44
67scotty10 on Mar 20, 2016 at 6:22 pm
Darrell sure believes that it is a MANS world - not many Senior Women around him!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Up 20 Down 33
Arn Anderson on Mar 20, 2016 at 10:36 am
Lol - Canada has not changed since being exploited by the Europeans. This inept mindset of "resource based economy" is really getting old.
Up 27 Down 46
67scotty10 on Mar 19, 2016 at 6:49 pm
Oh Boy - how much do these people earn??????????
I am sure they do not care if they get shuffled around as long as the big bucks come in with all the benefits. The folks in the Leg. only have to work 6 years to get what a lowly Civil Servant has to work for 25 - 30 years for - is that fair!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lets keep bringing superior people in from the south to be our senior leaders - they know so much about the Yukon.
Up 53 Down 35
Lost in the Yukon on Mar 19, 2016 at 4:40 pm
Dearest "Another Example" do you any idea what you are talking about? Deputies, as noted, do serve at the pleasure of the Premier. What if the reason a DM is sacked, however, is because a clueless Minister can't figure out what their job is ends up deciding they just want someone who says "yes" and doesn't offer advice that may show the short comings of a Ministerial direction.
What we have in most cases is the incompetence of a Minister, not of a Deputy. Check around, it isn't hard to find out what is really going on.
This Government is out of control and incompetent and senior bureaucrats are being scapegoated and we (the tax payer) are picking up the tab.
Up 41 Down 49
wolverine on Mar 19, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Rearranging the deck chairs to get a better view of the icebergs...
Up 45 Down 48
RevolvingDoor on Mar 19, 2016 at 10:52 am
last one out, turn the lights off please.
Up 16 Down 43
Josey Wales on Mar 19, 2016 at 9:29 am
Darrell...great attempt at the optics of concern for your "subjects".
About that, a wee bit too late...like reaally late.
Darrell, I Josey was a blue team supporter my whole life except once before my head was removed from my colon for some air.
Did I support your team here and in our Ottawa last delusion of democracy?
Nope!
For you and your crews to help me make that shift, is like having the NRA turn Ted Nugent into a vegan.
I hope you and the other "big cheese" who no longer has a job/mandate are proud of yourselves.
Now that we have the substitute drama teacher at the helm, he'll do what Mr. Hollywood, the equity prez. does down in the US of Eh, flood the country with 3rd world ensuring never a blue team leads.
By design folks, we truly are mere subjects for our political overlords to do what they do..LORD/TAX/MANIPULATE/REGULATE into our peasant camps in perpetual servitude.
Been that way since 1867, ramped up in 1982 and mutating into this progressive socially engineered sh**hole.
With a complete idiot at the helm, readers here can formulate which idiot I write of.
Up 74 Down 68
June Jackson on Mar 18, 2016 at 6:45 pm
The Paslowski government is looking around to blame others for their unpopularity. Not gonna work. Yukoner's have good memories. Putting a few employee's on the chopping block and kissing a few tushies is not going to make anyone forget the last 3 years. Chop away YP.. you're next.
Up 46 Down 74
This is another example of lack direction by the NDP on Mar 18, 2016 at 5:00 pm
NDP do not understand this fast changing world we are living in now - times change all the time.
Change is great because it brings up new ideas, opportunities, fresh new faces.
But Liz is stuck in the 1980's style of management, which went out 30 years ago.
The Yukon is moving into a new world.
NDP just continue to have a negative leader and can't make a positive statements.
NDP and Liberals are stuck in the 80's have shown know evidence of what is real and what is not.
Yukoners don't buy an ounce of this BS.
Up 50 Down 67
Good article with facts for us on Mar 18, 2016 at 4:53 pm
Lots of facts here for Yukoners. Why are liberal and NDP leaders always negative? Yukon party shows more leadership for Yukoners and they care.
Up 58 Down 7
Thomas Brewer on Mar 18, 2016 at 4:52 pm
Where's the investigative journalism here? Why do we have to wait for a member of the opposition to pipe up before there's an article in the Star?
Check into the recent changes in the departments, are there clues there? It's too small a town for a bunch of people to not know what predicated these firings (lets call a spade a spade, shall we?). Get reporters digging, flesh out whatever rumours are out there, cross reference details... give the Yukon people some real news - heck you might even sell a few newspapers while you're at it.
Up 51 Down 10
Finally! on Mar 18, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Finally! Some hope for economic development in the territory! I know you know this, Justin, but just a small reminder. It's not all about mining! Get some small enterprises happening that can weather it through the boom bust cycle. Maybe some real assistance for small business.