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Mark O’Neill, president of the Canadian Museum of History, took over the head position when his predecessor, Victor Rabinovitch, retired in 2011. In a profile at the time, Ottawa magazine noted that “the father of two teenagers has spent his entire working life in Ottawa, in the federal public service, since studying political science at Carleton University. For most of his career, he toiled in such programs as multiculturalism, book publishing, and the protection of cultural property. In hindsight, one could say O’Neill was being groomed for his current job, one of the country’s top cultural posts.” Rabinovitch, appointed by the Chretien Liberals, had nothing but good words for his “low-key, nose to the grindstone” former executive assiatnt.

Thanks to LeBlanc’s missive, he now faces a choice: voluntarily give up a job for which he is clearly qualified, to which he was appointed by a transparent process, or be tainted on the basis that his five-year extension represents an “abuse of process,” because it was made by a previous government.

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Some of those on the list likely annoy the new government because they represent Conservative success stories the Liberals aren’t keen to embrace. Deepak Chopra, president of Canada Post, has led a turnaround that turned the corporation into a profitable enterprise, but did so with money-saving efficiencies such as the end of door-to-door mail service in favour of community boxes. The Liberals have pledged to revive direct delivery, even though it costs an extra $500 million a year and serves only a third of the country. Chopra got a new five-year contract worth $500,000 a year effective Feb. 1, 2016.

As interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose noted, the Liberals have a right to terminate contracts, but should do so based on merit. Judging by the qualifications of people like Beckel and O’Neill, the Prime Minister’s Office didn’t look deeply into the people it would be damaging before LeBlanc fired off his letter. He’d do well to take his own advice and voluntarily withdraw it before extending needless damage to worthy people.

National Post

KellyMcParland<