In a recent ruling, the Saskatchewan Public Service Commission has overturned the firing of Allan Walker - who was terminated, apparently on the recommendation (instructions) of an unelected, unaccountable Sask. Party operative who was contracted by Premier Brad Wall to hand-pick certain government employees to be fired following the last provincial election.
I posted an entry about this situation on July 10, 2008: Sask. Party gov’t faces questions in Walker wrongful dismissal case
Following the release of the 19 page decision a number of articles have appeared in local newspapers and on-line:
Commission slams civil service firings - CBC Sask. web site
New gov'ts asked to stop firing civil servants - Hall - Leader-Post
It's time for some civil behaviour - Mandryk - Leader-Post
Political purges slammed - Dawg's Blawg
Fired civil servant wins case - Mandryk - StarPhoenix
PSC blasts Sask. Party gov’t over Walker firing; Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz oblivious - Owls and Roosters Blog
One of my favourite quotes from the decision is:
"To arbitrarily end the careers of competent public leaders without cause based on political direction sends a message to the remaining and prospective employees that a public service career is at best a matter of who you know rather than what you know or what you are capable of accomplishing."
2 comments:
All right! What good news, Brother Hubich. Thanks.
I hope to do a short update later today.
Well the PSC is full of NDP hacks who, among other things, weren't able to manage the civil service to such a degree as to properly deal with people like Murdoch Carriere. That, in itself, should speak volumes about the credibility of the commissioners and the legal counsel of the PSC, all of whom are probably well connected to the former NDP government.
In particular, the legal counsel involved with the PSC keeps on turning up on the NDP government's payroll whenever the NDP has a major matter to cover up, whether it be the Channel Lake fiasco, wrongful dismissals of employees, misconduct or fraud in the Crown Corporations, or strike-breaking (both with respect to SaskPower and with respect to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses).
Krawetz et al would be best served by saying goodbye to the Public Service Commission members and appointing new ones that share the spirit of democracy and integrity that the Saskatchewan Party was elected to uphold.
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