There has been more housecleaning in the Alberta premier's office.
Premier Ed Stelmach said goodbye today to his press secretary, Tom Olsen, a former Calgary Herald columnist after more than two years as his point man with the media. The widely rumoured change follows on the heels of the departures of Stelmach's communications director, Paul Stanway, and the head of the public affairs bureau, Roxanna Benoit.
Olsen will be working on Alberta's Olympic efforts next month, while Stanway, who said he couldn't commit to the position through March, 2012 - the next expected date for a provincial election - was replaced earlier this month by Cam Hantiuk, who served most recently as director of public affairs for the western Canadian office of Waste Management of Canada Corp. Benoit is working in a policy position for the government.
When Stelmach shuffled his cabinet earlier this month, he promised it would lead to "better communications" of policies and objectives of his government. He reiterated that point today when speaking with reporters, but he didn't respond to questions about whether there were problems with communications within his immediate circle, which prompted the changes.
"Any changes in the communciatons area you can speak to the new directior and he'll be able to give you further information," he said.