Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 27/00) - Premier Stephen Kakfwi's chief of staff is coming under fire for her involvement in the federal election campaign.

Lynda Sorensen should not be chairing the campaign to re-elect Western Arctic Liberal candidate Ethel Blondin-Andrew, said Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger.

Big Red Machine Candidate: Ethel Blondin Andrew President: Ted Blondin, Rae: land claims manager, Dogrib Treaty 11 Council Vice-president: Ernest Pokiak, Tuktoyaktuk: mayor of Tuktoyaktuk Campaign Chair: Lynda Sorensen, Yellowknife: current chief of staff, GNWT; executive assistant to Premier Stephen Kakfwi Secretary: John Hazenberg, Fort Simpson: general manager, petroleum products division, GNWT Treasurer: Terry Testart, Yellowknife: executive assistant to territorial Transportation Minister Vince Steen

"The job of senior civil servants is to take direction from the executive, not be out there running political campaigns," said Miltenberger.

Sorensen said she was mindful of protecting her right to continue her political involvement when she negotiated a contract to be chief of staff, a position she started last January.

At the time, said Sorensen, she knew Prime Minister Jean Chretien was going to appoint her to the Liberal's national campaign committee.

"I have been told my contract provides me with an exemption from political restrictions that apply to deputy ministers and that's what I go by," said Sorensen.

The exemption was agreed to by cabinet, said Sorensen. The former MLA and Liberal candidate (1984) said she has protected her ability to be involved politically long before the contract was signed.

"I went to work 16 years ago for Mr. Kakfwi with the understanding that I would submerge my own personal political ambitions because I would be an executive assistant to him," Sorensen said.

"I would become a behind-the-scenes person to him, but in order to do that I would have to continue to do that because that's virtually who I am.

The rules limiting the political involvement of GNWT employees are spelled out in the Northwest Territories Public Service Act and the government's human resources manual.

Both set out limitations that must be abided by all GNWT employees and another stricter set of rules that applies to senior staffers classified as "restricted" employees.

Restricted staffers include deputy ministers on down to assistant directors and as well as cabinet staff, except executive assistants, secretaries and clerks, are also considered restricted.

Restricted employees can not attend any meeting of a political party as a voting delegate, serve on the executive of a riding association or campaign on behalf of a candidate.

Sorensen is an executive member of the Western Arctic Liberal association and will be a central figure in Blondin-Andrew's election campaign.

Principal secretary to cabinet, John Bayly, said though the name of Sorensen's position changed, her duties did not.

"She is, in effect, the premier's executive assistant," said Bayly.

Miltenberger said a chief of staff is far more.

"To me it's an unreachable stretch ... nobody will accept that a simple executive assistant is the same as a chief of staff," he said.

"I don't think anybody's going to buy that."

Miltenberger said he will be questioning Kakfwi and cabinet about the issue during the fall session, which begins Tuesday.