The "revolving door of leadership" atop the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation accentuates the need to have a stand-alone tourism marketing body, New Democratic Party tourism critic Spencer Chandra Herbert told Business in Vancouver July 31.
The ministry's deputy minister, Dana Hayden, wrote in a July 30 email seen by BIV that she was leaving the ministry "for a period of time" to be the interim CEO at the B.C. Pavillion Corporation (PavCo).
Her departure follows past deputy minister departures since 2009:
- Martyn Brown leaving in March 2011;
- Lori Wanamaker leaving in October 2010;
- Lorne Brownsey leaving in June 2009; and
- Philip Steenkamp leaving in January 2009.
"When the Liberals decided to blow up Tourism BC and fire the industry-led board, what they said at the time is that it would lead to greater efficiency, more stability and more tourism," Herbert said.
He noted the rotation of ministers as well as deputy ministers.
Bill Bennett served as B.C.'s tourism minister until June 2009, when Kevin Kruger arrived. Kruger announced in August 2009 that he would disband Tourism BC and have its functions carried out by the B.C. government bureaucracy.
Margaret MacDiarmid became tourism minster in October 2010 and then current Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell took over in March 2011.
The NDP's policy is to separate the province's tourism marketing body from the bureaucracy and install an industry-led board so it will be a partner with government rather than be controlled by politicians, Herbert said.
