Cutbacks Provincial government trims expenses by not replacing representative in nation's capital

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Rob Linke
Telegraph-Journal

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OTTAWA - Premier Shawn Graham has decided to save money rather than replace the provincial government's representative in Ottawa, a position he once described as key and strategic.

"It's these tough times," said Gisèle Regimbal, spokeswoman for the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs. "Departments have to look for ways to cut back."

The provincial budget forecast a $741-million deficit but the Tories argue it must be $1 billion because of declining tax revenue.

Cutting the Ottawa office will save $150,000 a year, the cost of rent, phone, supplies and salary and expenses. New Brunswick had shared space in a downtown office tower with the representative for Manitoba.

Maurice Rioux left the position of New Brunswick's representative in February to become an adviser on francophone issues and official languages for Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

When he left, a government spokesperson said the province intended to replace him.

Rioux had been the Graham government's eyes and ears and a key liaison with federal officials since October 2006, shortly after Graham took office.

When he was hired, Graham had said Rioux's mandate was "ongoing strategic federal-provincial information and advice."

Political scientist Donald Savoie said he had never understood why New Brunswick set up the office, created in 2002, in the first place.

"It's a waste of money," said the University of Moncton scholar, a noted critic of how the centralization of power in the prime minister's office has diminished the role of elected officials.

"Why spend $150,000 a year on an office like this?

"If governments have to rely on lobbyists to lobby another government, we're in deep trouble, but that's what this is - lobbying under another name."

Savoie said it's the job of cabinet ministers, of MPs and senators to forge a productive relationship with the federal government.

They all have staff supporting them, and the province has staff in the intergovernmental affairs office in Fredericton.

Friendly and unflappable, Rioux had emphasized the importance of ensuring bureaucrats, political staff and elected officials all understood New Brunswick's position on a given issue.

His position had been vacant for about six months when Graham first took office.

The value of the role had been questioned by the Liberals when Graham was in opposition.

Rioux's predecessor, Gilles Verret, had been hired by his former university classmate, then-premier Bernard Lord, in 2002.

Provincial officials defended Verret's contribution in opening doors in the capital and helping ensure New Brunswick got its fair share of federal funding.

In 2003, Lord's minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Percy Mockler, said having Verret in the city helped New Brunswick's visiting politicians make the most of their brief access to federal ministers and senior bureaucrats.

But Graham said then that the best way to "lobby government is to have a good working relationship between cabinet ministers at the provincial and at the federal level" and Liberal MLA Kelly Lamrock had called creating Verret's position one of the "stupidest" decisions government had made.

Rioux, who hails from Shippagan, was a veteran Liberal political aide who had been a chief of staff to former Liberal ministers of Canadian heritage Sheila Copps and Denis Coderre.

He then served Doug Young, the transport minister and MP for Acadie-Bathurst.

In all, Rioux worked in the federal government for 15 years.

When Rioux was hired, nine provinces and territories had offices in Ottawa.

Just before entering and losing the provincial election, Nova Scotia appointed Independent MP Bill Casey to be its new representative.