The acting head of Elections British Columbia has eliminated the deputy chief electoral officer's position.
“I was told the acting chief electoral officer is reorganizing Elections B.C. and my position as deputy chief electoral officer was eliminated,” said Linda Johnson, reached at home. Johnson had been with the organization for 28 years, the last 19 of them as deputy CEO.
Staff at the agency learned about the change yesterday.
The position is the second most senior at the independent, non-partisan office that oversees elections and referenda in the province. In August Elections B.C. certified the success of the petition to repeal the harmonized sales tax.
The position is defined in the Elections Act and has all the same powers and authority as the CEO, with the exception of making regulations, said Johnson.
The acting CEO, Craig James, is away at a conference and will be unavailable until Sept. 20, said Elections B.C. spokesperson Don Main.
James replaced the outgoing CEO Harry Neufeld in June. He was appointed by the Liberal government until an all-party committee can find a permanent CEO.
Losing its two most senior officials in three months is significant, said Johnson. “It's bound to change things in the organization,” she said.
The organization is strong enough to withstand the change, however, she said. “It's a place I was really proud to work for.”
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
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circle A
1 year ago
no surprise!
Those that can`t be bullied or bought will be eliminated.I wonder if the complacent,disengaged, misinformed electorate in this province will maybe just start to grasp the gravity of the conditions we are facing. and truly understand what a vicious game of hardball campbell and his bosses are more than happy to play?
Van Isle
1 year ago
Are the Liberals going to
Are the Liberals going to privitize the management/administration at Elections BC too? If they do it will be most likely be an American outfit I'm sure.
fernwoodguy
1 year ago
Something is VERY fishy...
The committee looking at the HST is to ask James to be at the committee on Monday...if he's out of town until the 20th, that would have left it to the deputy to appear...but she gets fired the day the committee asks for one of them. The longer the "non-partisan" James holds this temporary position, the more BC Liberal he is smelling...
DPL
1 year ago
It doesn't pay to not do
It doesn't pay to not do what Gordo wants' when he decides to lash out with anyone not toeing the line After 28 years the women is getting raw deal. And Craig is out of town till month end almost. How convenient.
Mind you that's how the clowns that operate as government seem to work. A family friend had similar time in government, she came to work to find two goons waiting to escort her out of her office, couldn't touch her files or computer and they changed the lock before moving her bodily out of the main door. Within a week the Gordo team wanted her to do some arbitration work for them. Guess what the answer was? This province is becoming a sick place in which to live and work.Her lawyer managed a pretty good package.
Sask Resident
1 year ago
Dead Wood?
Sometimes the only way to get rid of dead wood within the government is to eliminate the position. Johnson would go on to the government priority list for a position elsewhere in the civil service or she could retire.
Gary
1 year ago
More delays
This move is nothing but a delay tactic. There's something going on in the background (with Campbell)
The object is to delay, delay, delay. z but that's okay by me. If this legislation is not enacted on or before November 15,2010 and not one minute later, it will be recall in the fall.
BC Blue
1 year ago
Craig James
Continues doing the Liberal's dirty work for him and doesn't even have the balls to be around to answer for it.
Absolutely stunning that an acting CEO would undertake such a radical re-organization. Look for the Liberals to permanently appoint this lackey ASAP.
Ed Seedhouse
1 year ago
Slowly, bit by bit, the
Slowly, bit by bit, the government chips away at the foundations of democracy. When democracy dies the result will, of necessity, be revolution sooner or later.
We need to get rid of these people and get our democracy back on track.
sunshine coast girl
1 year ago
Why is the "acting" CEO of EBC
re-organizing anything? He's only supposed to be babysitting while the committee finds a new and real one.
These people deserve to be in jail. I can hardly wait for November 15th. Recall!
Mamakel
1 year ago
How will this affect Recall?
Isn't it Elections BC that will have to process our Recall initiatives, and organize by-elections? So far the top 2 employees (former Chairman and now the Deputy Chairman) have be conveniently removed. Is this just Campbell's way of throwing monkey wrenches in potential recalls? Looks that way to me...
offended
1 year ago
Messing with the prospect of recalls
Gross interference by the government will not stop their eventual ride to the bottom.
off-the-radar
1 year ago
citizens needed now
Wow, this is a government that thinks it can get away with anything:
*imposing the HST, $2 billion taxes transferred onto the backs of every day people
*Bask-Virk: corruption, drugs and Liberal cabinet ministers suddenly retiring
*massively expanded gambling
*screwing workers left right and center: ripping up contracts, give away BC jobs to foreign call centers, and deny workers' rights.
*sell off BC Hydro and our rivers to the multinationals while gutting environmental protection.
*Kash Heed's staff breaking the law to win him his riding
*the highest child poverty rate in Canada for SEVEN YEARS (22%).
*eroding public education and loading up health care with bureacrats and rampant homelessness and, and, and, and.
Not to mention the constant, non-stop blatant lying.
and now gross political interference to manipulate the recall process. A temporary liberal appointee firing the CEO of the independent office governing elections in BC. The same office that will be governing recalls which can begin November 15---only two months away.
And the government manipulating the mainstream media by announcing a public investigation into the Pickton disaster the same day as the firing.
But, people are not that stupid. Thank God for the internet and independent media and fellow citizens.
I haven't been politically active in years. That changes as of now.
Tomorrow let's everybody who reads this story:
1. tell 10 people (in person) what this firing means to an "independent" office governing BC elections and the recall process.
2. contact your nearest NDP MLA and ask them to stand up NOW and demand that this shameless power play STOP.
3. donate now to fund recalls of liberal MLAs, starting with the Premier I hope. I'm writing a cheque now to the anti-HST campaign.
4. Anybody else on the Island? Let's protest at noon Monday Sept 13 at the legislature while that stupid committee debates how to sideline the HST petition. There should be some media coverage.
We citizens need to act now to save our province and restore democracy. Signing the anti-HST petition was just step one. The Liberals are underestimating citizens and that's going to work to our advantage, big time. They may have the big bucks but we've got the votes. We can win.
Curt
1 year ago
This is totally
This is totally unacceptable.
Just makes me want to sign the recall even more. And to make sure I sign up to go collecting signatures in whatever riding the help is needed.
The lieberals will not stop until we the honest, taxpaying citizens of this province stop them.
crankypants
1 year ago
Curious
I did hear about this on the radio, but it seems to have slipped by the television newscasts. Another example of how useless the MSM has become.
Just another blow to the democracy we thought we lived under.
Craig James hasn't been at Elections BC long enough to know much more than where the bathroom is. This just doesn't pass the smell test.