Deputy minister payouts fuel voter cynicism

The severance packages offered to Liberal-connected deputy ministers earlier this week fuel voter cynicism, according to a public policy expert.

Donald Savoie, the Canada research chair in public administration and governance at the University of Moncton, said in an interview on Friday the severance packages only further the distaste that many citizens have about politicians and politics.

"There's a great deal of cynicism and we saw it in terms of voter turnout [in the Sept. 27 election], it's drifting down," Savoie said.

"We see it in terms of membership in parties. People are less willing to join parties. I think this stuff breeds that kind of cynicism."

The Liberal cabinet did not offer a precise figure on the size of the severance packages given to:

• Yvon LeBlanc, the deputy minister of justice
• Maurice Robichaud, the deputy minister of Communications New Brunswick
• Doug Tyler, deputy minister of strategy planning
• Bernard Theriault, chief of staff in the premier's office
• Dana Clendenning, the president of NB Liquor

The province's top civil servant told reporters earlier this weekthe severance packages are similar to ones offered to outgoing deputy ministers, who were Progressive Conservative loyalists, following the 2006 election.

Some of severance deals are expected to could cost taxpayers more than $100,000.

Premier-designate David Alward is expected to fill the recently vacated positions with friends of the Progressive Conservatives after the party takes power on Oct. 12.

Savoie said politicians should stop blurring the lines between politics and a professional civil service.

"If you cross that line you're going to get into some problem and so that's essentially the main problem," Savoie said.