David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Methinks Cormier the former strategic adviser of the Executive Council Office quite simply doesn't care if Sylvie Nadeau or anyone else is extremely disappointed with his buddy Higgy N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/05/controversial-appointment-of-new-head.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/library-director-new-brunswick-kevin-cormier-sylvie-nadeau-review-1.5580143
Controversial appointment of new head of library service won't be reviewed, government says
Kevin Cormier's predecessor Sylive Nadeau is disappointed with Premier Blaine Higgs's decision
· CBC News · Posted: May 24, 2020 7:00 AM AT
Kevin Cormier was appointed executive director of the New Brunswick Public Library Service through an internal government program, effective Feb. 18. (Kevin Cormier/Facebook)
The New Brunswick government will not order an independent review of the controversial appointment of the new executive director of the provincial public library service, according to an email to his predecessor, who requested the inquiry.
Sylvie Nadeau said she's "extremely disappointed" Premier Blaine Higgs has decided not to look into what led to Kevin Cormier being put in charge of the province's 64 public libraries despite an apparent lack of library training or experience.
"It remains incomprehensible and unacceptable to me that the government of New Brunswick considers that it is acceptable to appoint people without the officially approved qualifications … as long as it can claim the legality of the appointment through a loophole such as the [corporate] talent management program," she said.
"This is indeed very sad and disturbing. As a citizen I expect much better from my government. I expect a fair, honest and transparent government."
Cormier could not immediately be reached for comment.
Nadeau said the approved description of the job that pays up to nearly $114,000 a year states the minimum requirements are a master's degree of library and/or information studies, with nine years of progressive experience, including management and supervision of library operation.
"Knowledge of large network library system is essential," the description says.
Cormier's LinkedIn profile lists his education as a single year at York University's Schulich School of Business in Toronto in 2005 and two years at the Moncton Flight College, from 1998 to 2000.
He spent the past year as a strategic adviser in the Executive Council Office. He was previously the chief executive officer of Kings Landing Corporation, the historical settlement near Fredericton, for about seven years.
Urges municipal councils to seek review
Nadeau, who served as the provincial librarian and executive director for 20 years until her retirement in December, maintains there were "irregularities and flaws" with the recruitment and appointment process.Last month, she called on Higgs to order an independent review. She followed up with requests to Finance and Treasury Board Minister Ernie Steeves and deputy minister Cheryl Hansen.
Since then, she has written to every municipal council in the province where a library is located, urging them to write the premier to also request an independent review.
Sylvie Nadeau said she hopes that citizens will continue to voice their concerns about the appointment, and that the government will reverse its decision and order an independent review. (Submitted by Sylvie Nadeau)
Municipalities are a major partner in delivering the provincial library service, said Nadeau.
"Typically when we talk about the provincial budgets for libraries, 30 to 40 per cent is really municipal money."
They provide the space and maintenance, as well as the furniture and equipment. They also appoint library boards, who serve as the "voice and ears" of the community. "So I believe they have a stake in what's going on."
She sent a similar letter to the New Brunswick Library Trustees Association Inc.
On Friday, Nadeau received an email from Kelly Cain, the deputy minister responsible for human resources, Finance and Treasury Board, which was copied to the premier, Steeves and Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Trevor Holder, who is responsible for libraries.
Program review to be completed in June
In the email, Cain thanked Nadeau for her "input" on the matter but said the appointment of the new executive director of the library service "was done through careful consideration and in accordance with the Civil Service Act.""Although an independent review of the recruitment and appointment process for this position will not be conducted, the Department of Finance and Treasury Board takes your comments under advisement and will be examining the existing talent management program for areas of improvement as directed by the minister of post-secondary education, training and labour."
That review, previously reported by CBC News, has started and is expected to be completed by the end of June if not before, said Vicky Deschênes, spokesperson for Finance and Treasury Board.
"The findings will help inform any gaps or shortcomings in the program and opportunities for improvement," she said in an emailed statement.
A spokesperson for the premier's office has said Cormier's performance will be assessed when his probationary period ends.
Deschênes said she was unable to comment on specifics related to an individual employee, but under the Civil Service Act, probation typically lasts six months and no more than one year.
Filed Right to Information requests
Nadeau has filed Right to Information Act requests to the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and to the Department of Finance and Treasury Board about the recruitment process.She wants to know who wrote the ad when the job was initially posted as a competition last fall, who approved the ad, who selected the candidates to be interviewed, and who conducted the interviews.
Nadeau said she knows of at least two "highly qualified" and fluently bilingual internal candidates who were interviewed for the job.
"I have the privilege of having served in the civil service for 25-plus years," she said. "I know how government works. I know what's right and I know what's wrong. … And this is wrong.
"And I cannot stay silent until I'm getting — and New Brunswickers are getting — answers that make sense here."
145 Comments
David Amos
Methinks Cormier
never will comment because the former strategic adviser of the Executive
Council Office quite simply does not care if anyone is extremely
disappointed with his buddy Higgy picking him for the job N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Methinks somebody
should welcome folks back to the circus where we can no longer sit in
the peanut galley in order to watch the other political parties who
prefer to sit in opposition as Higgy's Police State obliterates our
local economy N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Methinks i should
remind Higgy et al that whereas 16 years ago I was illegally barred from
parliamentary properties and they seem to be barring nearly everybody
today at least things appear to be fair to all N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content disabled
"Cormier could not immediately be reached for comment" Methinks Cormier never was because the former strategic adviser of the Executive Council Office quite simply does not care if Sylvie Nadeau or anyone else is extremely disappointed with his buddy Higgy N'esy Pas?
David Amos
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Methinks the other political parties prefer to sit in opposition as Higgy's Police State obliterates our local economy N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @David Amos: Oh my my more "Poofs" on my record. Methinks I should take the hint and quit for a while and enjoy the rest of the day N'esy Pas?
Alison
Jackson
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Reply to @David Amos: Dude the "methinks" and "n'esy pas" gets pretty stale after, oh I don't know, the 1000th time you say it.
Reply to @David Amos: Dude the "methinks" and "n'esy pas" gets pretty stale after, oh I don't know, the 1000th time you say it.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Alison Jackson: Do tell did you ever bother to read the words that came between the two expressions that you remember so well?
Reply to @Alison Jackson: Do tell did you ever bother to read the words that came between the two expressions that you remember so well?
David Amos
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Reply to @Alison Jackson: Methinks not N'esy Pas?
Reply to @Alison Jackson: Methinks not N'esy Pas?
Tony
Mcalbey
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Reply to @Alison Jackson: There’s other news outlets out there if you so choose N’esy Pas?
Reply to @Alison Jackson: There’s other news outlets out there if you so choose N’esy Pas?
Alison Jackson
Content disabled
Reply to @Tony Mcalbey: Ok so Tony and David are the same profiles huh? cause really why would anyone else care about it...
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Alison Jackson: Methinks it would be rather dumb of me to pretend to be somebody else What would be the point? Furthermore you witnessed my words go "Poof" N'esy Pas?
Derek
Smith
New Brunswicker's
deserve to know why this appointment was not deemed worthy of review. It
seems Mr. Cormier being "competent" in English and French outweighed
his need for the required education and library experience. Other then
some language skills, two years of flight college and a year of business
school qualifies for a $114K job in this province?
Well it would appear from Mr. Cormier's work history that what he is TRULY experienced in is MARKETING. Apparently he is very good at it since he's been selling HIMSELF to the government since 2004. It's painfully obvious that some loophole allowed him this opportunity through the "corporate talent management program." It appears that a candidate can fast track their career without the "INCONVENIENCE" of obtaining the education required to qualify them for the job. Who knew these SHORTCUTS existed? Shouldn't this loophole be closed immediately?
Well it would appear from Mr. Cormier's work history that what he is TRULY experienced in is MARKETING. Apparently he is very good at it since he's been selling HIMSELF to the government since 2004. It's painfully obvious that some loophole allowed him this opportunity through the "corporate talent management program." It appears that a candidate can fast track their career without the "INCONVENIENCE" of obtaining the education required to qualify them for the job. Who knew these SHORTCUTS existed? Shouldn't this loophole be closed immediately?
David Amos
Reply to @Derek Smith: Yup
David Amos
Reply to @Derek
Smith: Methinks Madame Nadeau should confer with fellow librarians
Trecia Schell and Phil Taber while all other interested folks posting
here should at least review all the comments that remain in the article
below N'esy Pas? Librarians making noise about new head of New Brunswick public library service
Liberals call on government to rescind Kevin Cormier's appointment, given apparent lack of qualifications
Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon · CBC News · Posted: Feb 28, 2020
David Amos 2nd time
Content disabled
"Cormier could not immediately be reached for comment" Methinks Cormier never will comment because the former strategic adviser of the Executive Council Office quite simply does not care if anyone is extremely disappointed with his buddy Higgy picking him for the job N'esy Pas?
Ben Haroldson
Maybe some lawyer could step in on behalf of the qualified applicants.
David Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: Good luck finding a lawyer qualified to take on Higgy et al
Deborah Campbell
I am very disappointed
in the Higgs government for this appointment. This was the government
that was going to do things differently! Appointing someone with no
qualifications for the position is certainly sending the wrong message
to young people here whom Mr. Higgs expected to take jobs on farms and
in fish plants to help NBers because "we're all in this together".
Unless of course you have "friends" in high places. I support Sylvie Nadeau's call for an independent investigation into this indefensible appointment. « less
0
REPLY TO @DEBORAH CAMPBELL:
0
REPLY TO @DEBORAH CAMPBELL:
David Amos
Reply to @Deborah Campbell: Methinks you are not alone in your disappointment N'esy Pas?
Sulynn Macewan
You might want to ask
why the libraries are still not open after 7 weeks of closure followed
by 2 weeks of notice that they could reopen. Apparently that was not
enough time to plan and get ready. Let me guess, they were drawing
salary while not getting ready....So much for the lip service to how
important childrens education is...for some families, this is their
internet access and source of extra reading materials.
David Amos
Reply to @Sulynn Macewan: Good point
René Ephestion
Show your support to Sylvie Nadeau in her fight for the preservation of our libraries with the facebook decor: I support Sylvie Nadeau
www.facebook.com/profilepicframes/?selected_overlay_id=293326508361931
I love my library!
------
Montrer votre soutien à Sylvie Nadeau dans son combat pour la préservation de nos bibliothèques avec le décor facebook : I support Sylvie Nadeau
www.facebook.com/profilepicframes/?selected_overlay_id=293326508361931
J'aime ma bibliothèque !
David Amos
Reply to @René Ephestion: Methinks Higgy et al would expect no less from a wannabe liberal leader N'esy Pas?
James Risdon
I can't begin to count the number of government jobs I've seen filled through nepotism and patronage, often folks with absolutely no relevant qualifications that are picked simple because of who they know or because they fill an unspoken quota.
The government only uses qualifications as a basis for hiring when they've run out of their friends and when they are desperate to fill the spot with someone who can actually do the job and carry the rest of the others.
Jim .Jackson
Reply to @James
Risdon: Sad but true. The public education system, as an example, runs
the very same way. Check the interrelated names of top level mangers,
principals, and teachers who somehow manage to forego the years in the
"D" (temporary) contract trenches and somehow land a "B" (permanent)
contract in their first year.
David Amos
Reply to @James
Risdon: Methinks you should have spoke up when you were running under
the KISS banner against Higgy and I Nesy Pas?
Tony Mcalbey
Higgy should resign
Donald Smith
Reply to @Tony Mcalbey: yuppers
David Amos
Reply to @Tony Mcalbey: Lots of things went "Poof" but at least I'm back for a bit
David Amos
Methinks Higgy's circus is gonna get really interesting in couple days N'esy Pas?
Tony Mcalbey
Reply to @David Amos: higgys circus finally breaks up N’esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Tony
Mcalbey: Hard telling not knowing for sure but methinks we should not
discount the strong possibility that Higgy could win a majority next
time much to the chagrin of most of us N'esy Pas?
Tony
Mcalbey
Reply to @David Amos: Methinks a Higgy majority would be crazy for the greenies
Tony
Mcalbey
Tony Mcalbey
Higgy will flip flip again N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Tony Mcalbey: Not this time
Larry Larson
Time for a non-confidence vote in NB.
David Amos
Reply to @Larry Larson: Methinks many would agree that Higgy gonna have the writ dropped first N'esy Pas?
Lou Bell
But he's bilingual ! That alone trumps , education , experience , you know all the unimportant " stuff " a government employee would require !!
Kyle Woodman
Reply to @Lou Bell:
That narrative doesn't fit with the fact that there were 2 other more
qualified bilingual candidates. This is pure partisan hackery. A pretty
egregious example at that.
David Amos
Reply to @Lou Bell:
Methinks you are claiming your hero Higgy's faux pas appointing a buddy
to a job he is not qualified for trumps everything else because he is
bilingual too N'esy Pas?
Janice small
You need to know nothing just be a good friend of a PC canadate.. Jobs yours buddy.. Don't worry about knowing nothing, it ONTJT ( On the job training) jobs yours..Learn as you go..
David Amos
Reply to @Janice small: BINGO
David Amos
I admire Sylvie Nadeau's stlye
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Trust that i enjoyed talking to her as well
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
Content disabled
Methinks the other
political parties prefer to sit in opposition as Higgy's Police State
obliterates our local economy N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/05/controversial-appointment-of-new-head.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/n-b-covid-19-hotel-industry-1.5578319
Many rooms remain empty as hotels reopen after COVID-19 outbreak
Some hotels will keep rooms empty for 7 days between stays
· CBC News · Posted: May 23, 2020 9:00 AM AT
The Algonquin Resort in Saint Andrews opened to guests last week. Although more visitors are booking for the weekend, not many people want a room through the week. (Facebook)
New Brunswick's hotel industry is trying to navigate a new normal as the province eases into the third stage of its COVID-19 recovery plan later this week.
In March, hotels across New Brunswick were closing and laying off hundreds of workers because of the pandemic. Now some are slowly starting to reopen despite the many empty rooms still available.
"It's not easy and it's going to take time," said Pooja Rajmohan, director of sales for the Algonquin Resort in Saint Andrews.
The New Brunswick hotel closed at the end of March and reopened to guests last week.
Although the hotel saw bookings over the long weekend and a few for the upcoming weekend, Rajmohan said they're still in the "single digits" throughout the week.
But guests have been respectful of physical distancing rules and washing their hands at the hand sanitizing stations dispersed throughout the hotel.
"It's cautious enthusiasm," she said. "They want to go out but they know things will not be the same."
The Algonquin has also seen a number of wedding cancellations from May into September, most of which were from outside the province. Rajmohan wasn't sure of the exact number of wedding cancellations but said they were "in the double digits."
We're not laying down and going away.
- Jim Gertridge, Rodd Miramichi River HotelRight now, the hotel doesn't know when they will be able to hold large indoor weddings of up to 150 people again.
"I feel bad for the brides and grooms because they've planned for so long and now they have to re-plan," she said.
The hotel's new normal also consists of taking employee's temperatures before coming to work. And having a thermometer on hand at the front desk for guests.
Even the changeover of rooms looks different.
Staff aren't allowed to clean a room until two to three days after a guest leaves, to prevent putting employees at risk.
Then, a new guest can't stay in that particular room until at least seven days later.
The hotel is also trying to get as many staff as they can to return to work, while continuing to follow the guidelines set out by public health.
This might include some staff members taking on two or three new responsibilities while working at their old job.
"Multitasking would be the new normal."
And since most of their business comes from outside the province, she's worried about the upcoming summer tourism season — especially since New Brunswick borders are expected to remain closed to outside visitors.
Rajmohan said she would support New Brunswick sharing a bubble with Prince Edward, who also doesn't have any cases. That way it would support tourism industries in both provinces.
She compared it to the current travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.
"It's a safe bubble."
Making guests feel safe
Jim Gertridge, general manager of Rodd Miramichi River Hotel in Miramichi, said the hotel plans to reopen July 1. And some calls for reservations have already started to trickle in."We're not laying down and going away," he said.
Gertridge said the hotel plans to follow a number of health measures to make sure guests feel safe. This includes eliminating the amount of furniture in the hotel lobby, allowing staff to wear masks and requiring cleaning staff to wait 48 hours to clean a room and change their gloves four times while cleaning a room.
"When guests return, we want them to feel safe."
He said many other hotels in the Miramichi area are open for business.
"They're out there fighting to make a living," he said.
COVID-19 prompts worry for hotel business
Carol Alderdice, president and CEO of The Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick, said her organization has been working with New Brunswick tour operators to lead local vacationers to different areas of the province for two to three days. This will help hotels and small business owners gain some of their business back and help the economy.Over the summer months, the province typically sees tourists from Europe, China, Maine and provinces like Quebec and Ontario.
But since New Brunswickers are especially proud of their low case numbers of COVID-19, she's hoping that pride will continue for at–home tourism
"Everybody's trying to survive over the summer," she said.
Corporate hotel turned resort
Sarah Holyoke, general manager for the Delta Fredericton is coming up with creative ways to attract more New Brunswickers to come stay at the hotel.This summer, the hotel will be known as the Fredericton Resort.
"Typically we're a corporate hotel so we're going to transition into a leisure hotel," she said.
This will include all-inclusive activities, more children's activities for families. Next week, the hotel will also be opening a drive-in theatre.
"For us, that's the only way we're going to be successful," she said. "We need to create a reason for people to come to Fredericton."
The Fredericton hotel hosts national, regional and provincial conferences and sees mostly guests working on business across Atlantic Canada and Ontario.
Delta Fredericton general manager Sara Holyoke is hoping more New Brunswickers will visit the hotel over the summer months. (CBC)
Some of those events have been cancelled all the way up to January 2021.
But she's hoping hotel regulars and New Brunswick tourists will bring business back to normal this summer.
"We're going to rely heavily on New Brunswick travel this year."
The Delta Fredericton plans to reopen mid-June after closing at the end of March.
The Delta Fredericton closed its doors to guests in March and plans to open in June. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
"We came in and the phones just wouldn't stop ringing with cancellations," she said.
"And at that point I knew things were going to change for us really fast."
And she's trying to get all 165 of her employees back to work as soon as possible — even if it might be in a different job. This could mean cleaning staff working at the drive-in movie theatre.
"If we get New Brunswickers supporting us, we will be able to get those employees back."
35 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story. David Amos
Methinks not many folks would want to visit Higgy's Police State even if he decided to let them visit New Brunswick. I know there are not a great many locals who can afford these fancy hotels on whim. The ones who can afford such extravagances will likely not bother In light of the fact that most likely live not too far away and there is nothing going on anyway. Furthermore its not wise to visit or stay in tourist towns such as Alma or St Andrews when their Mayors tell us we are not welcome N'esy Pas?
janice small
You shouldn't be surprised you rooms are empty as your major went to the media and told us all not to come to St Andrews this year !! We always make two trips to St Andrews every year and stay at the Rossmount Inn..Not feeling welcome this year.
David Amos
Reply to @janice small: It appears to me that nobody but Higgy and the RCMP are welcome in St Andrews these days
Ben Haroldson
"Some hotels will keep rooms empty for 7 days between stays". Right....sorry, no vacancy...yah,right.
David Amos
Reply to @Ben Haroldson: I concur
https://greencaucusvert.ca/green-party-leader-supports-former-provincial-librarians-call-for-an-inquiry-into-of-the-hiring-process-for-the-executive-director-of-the-new-brunswick-public-library-system/
Green Party leader supports former Provincial Librarian’s call for an inquiry into of the hiring process for the executive director of the New Brunswick Public Library System
Fredericton – Green Party leader and MLA for Fredericton South, David Coon is supporting the former Provincial librarian’s call for a public review of the hiring process that led to the appointment of the current executive director of the executive director of the New Brunswick Public Library System, Kevin Cormier.
“I, like many New Brunswickers was appalled to learn of this appointment. Sylvie Nadeau, the former Provincial librarian / executive director, has called for a complete review of the hiring process, and I fully support her letter and very reasonable request,” says Coon. “New Brunswick has a very strong public library system and a recent survey indicated high public satisfaction. In order to ensure that remains, we need a qualified individual at the helm.”
During Question Period in March, Coon asked the Minister of Post-Secondary Training and Labour about the appointment. He was told that Cormier was appointed by the Deputy Minister of PETL through the Government of New Brunswick’s Talent Management Program, which means the hiring completely by-passed the normal process, disregarding the education and experience required for the position.
– 30 –
Read Sylvie Nadeau’s full letter to the Premier.https://greencaucusvert.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Letter_PremierHiggs_Appointment_ProvincialLibrarianPosition.pdf
Watch David Coon questioning PETL Minister Trevor Holder about the appointment of Executive Director of the New Brunswick Public Library System on March 13, 2020.
David - Kevin Cormier Appointment / La nomination de Kevin Cormier, March 13, 2020
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•Mar 13, 2020
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