Ornery scientist gets rehired by federal gov't

Canadian Press
Sep. 20, 2006

A B.C. scientist fired for lampooning an order to call Stephen Harper's Tory government "Canada's new government'' is back on the job.

Geologist Andrew Okulitch said Tuesday he was reinstated as a scientist emeritus with the Geological Survey of Canada after a call from the deputy minister of natural resources.

The 64-year-old Saltspring Island resident, who has worked for the federal government for 35 years, said he was fired Sept. 5 after he e-mailed an undiplomatic response to a government directive.

The government memo ordered him to use the phrase "new government of Canada'' on official correspondence from the Geological Survey of Canada.

Okulitch immediately fired off an e-mail saying civil servants are not paid to mouth political slogans.

He said the policy was "ridiculous and embarrassing'' and said he will use Geological Survey of Canada in any official correspondence "as opposed to idiotic buzzwords coined by political hacks.''

Minutes later he received an equally blunt e-mail from the Natural Resources Ministry saying Okulitch's misdirected views reflect the decision to immediately remove him from his position.

"He overreacted and I was less than diplomatic in my original e-mail and after that things just went from bad to worse,'' Okulitch said in an interview Tuesday.

"All based on a directive which should never have come down our way anyway.''

Okulitch, who is currently conducting research on a geological atlas project, said he and deputy minister Kathy Doyle agreed both sides acted hastily.

He said they decided to let bygones be bygones Tuesday and he was permitted to go back to work.

"They are basically apologizing by reinstating me,'' he said.

"I think we all have a bit of blame to share here. I could have been more polite, but on the other hand I was angry about an inappropriate directive.''

Okulitch said the government shouldn't be ordering the supposedly unbiased civil servants to adopt government slogans.

"They want people to know they are going to be new and there's going to be new ideas, new ways of doing things and at their level, these sorts of slogans have at least some applicability,'' he said.

Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn said he believes in the new government slogan, but it's not something bureaucrats are expected to adopt.

"I'm proud to use it,'' he said in Ottawa. "We're proud to be the new government of Canada. This is not something that we expect department officials or bureaucrats to use at all.''

The e-mail that went to Okulitch should never have been sent to him, Lunn said.

"There were some errors that were made, mistakes in communication,'' he said. "But, having said that, we're pleased that he's agreed to continue his work and we look forward to that.'' The Prime Minister's Office could not be reached for comment on its new slogan.

Okulitch said shortly after sending his reply e-mail, another e-mail arrived from the department saying the new government wording should only appear on documents sent to Lunn or ones being prepared for the minister.

Okulitch said he will continue his research. As a scientist emeritus he is not paid, but is given office space and support services.