https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/liquor-cannabis-new-brunswick-1.6061525
NB Liquor, Cannabis NB forced to hire expert help in search for new president
Premier says he questioned decision not to use professional recruiters
The board of NB Liquor and Cannabis NB has been forced to reverse its go-it-alone hunt for a new president by retaining an executive recruiting firm, after Premier Blaine Higgs expressed misgivings to Finance Minister Ernie Steeves.
"We want the best candidate," said Higgs in a Thursday interview.
The two critical Crown agencies bring in around $500 million per year in combined sales.
"The last thing that I want this to be is any political appointment like it was for years, whoever happened to be on the [campaign] bus," he said, in reference to party loyalists regularly getting the job prior to rule changes in 2013.
NB Liquor and Cannabis NB have been without a permanent president since former chief executive Patrick Parent resigned in December after just 15 months in the job.
Two weeks ago, CBC News reported the board of directors had begun a search for his replacement, but without hiring a third-party executive search firm normally used for senior Crown corporation vacancies.
Instead, board chair John Correia said he was confident the placement of online want ads would turn up the leader needed.
"The process is led by our board of directors, who are working closely with our HR [human resources] team," said Correia, in a statement at the time.
Opposition Leader Roger Melanson says hiring an executive search firm to vet candidates for NB Liquor president — but not find them — does not salvage the selection process. (CBC News)
New Brunswick Liberal Leader Roger Melanson sharply criticized that process and questioned whether Correia, a former chief fundraiser for the Progressive Conservative party, might be controlling the selection with an eye to appointing a pre-picked and party-friendly candidate.
Higgs now says he had concerns.
"We've always gone out for an independent search," said Higgs.
"I said, 'Why wouldn't they do that?' When I was told the board thought they could do it and the [finance] minister and I discussed it and it was, 'Well, how do we analyze these applicants?'"
After the premier's intervention, it was decided an outside firm should be retained, although that has stirred up its own controversy.
In a move announced Thursday, Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette (KBRS) has been hired to screen candidates NB Liquor has already found, but not search for new or better ones.
"It's window dressing by adding this company at the tail end of a process," said Melanson.
NB Liquor board chair John Correia said an independent consulting firm will only be involved in the candidate evaluation step as the Crown corporation hires a new CEO. (Coast Tire)
For credibility sake, Melanson said KBRS should be asked to find more applicants.
"By doing the searching on their own, we'll never know if the best candidate is actually identified," he said.
NB Liquor said board chair John Correia was not available for an interview, but in a statement Correia made it clear KBRS will be involved only in the "candidate evaluation step," even though its primary expertise is in candidate recruitment.
Without explaining how, Correia said the hiring of KBRS gives the selection of a new president "additional transparency."
"We are confident in the selection process, the selection committee of five board members and the ANBL [NB Liquor] HR department to select the best candidate," said Correia's statement.
"The timeline for the application process and review remains the same and the Board will make the final decision."
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David Amos
Too Too Funny Methinks everybody knows Higgy will get the final say anyway N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Methinks John Correia the NB Liquor Board Chair John Correia must know who the Minister is that oversees the Crown Corp Nobody else seems to know but I am betting its Higgy for rather obvious reasons N'esy Pas?
Bud Gardiner
Reply to @David Amos: Bingo, mon ami. Those 2 are "thick as..." (you know how it ends)
David Amos
Reply to @Bud Gardiner: C'est ca
James Risdon
Okay, okay ... I'll take the job.
Jon Jones
Reply to @James Risdon: But are you political friends (BFFs) of Higgs or an MLA. Kevin Cormier BFF of Trevor Holder who appointed to CEO of Kings Landing in past years and Don Moore BFF of Higgs who appointed to Board of Directors post. So if not BFF of Higgs/MLA, then you are not qualified for appointment to job. Sorry. :(
Allister Bannister
Reply to @Jon Jones: but i am able to say "Conservative Part of New Brunswick"...surely that most count for something...wait...i drove thru quispamsis once
David Amos
Reply to @James Risdon: Me Too
Jon Jones
Reply to @Allister Bannister: That does qualify you for political appointment, but are you BFFs to Higgs like Don Moore or to an MLA like Kevin Cormier.
Jon Jones
Reply to @David Amos: That does qualify you for political appointment, but are you BFFs to Higgs like Don Moore or to an MLA like Kevin Cormier
James Risdon
Reply to @Jon Jones: I am neither friend nor foe of Premier Blaine Higgs, a premier I find is often unfairly maligned but who I also consider could be doing more for the province.
David Amos
Reply to @Jon Jones: Surely you jest
Gracie Amos
Reply to @David Amos: No you didn’t.
James Risdon
Okay, okay ... I'll take the job.
Jon Jones
Reply to @James Risdon: But are you political friends (BFFs) of Higgs or an MLA. Kevin Cormier BFF of Trevor Holder who appointed to CEO of Kings Landing in past years and Don Moore BFF of Higgs who appointed to Board of Directors post. So if not BFF of Higgs/MLA, then you are not qualified for appointment to job. Sorry. :(
Allister Bannister
Reply to @Jon Jones: but i am able to say "Conservative Part of New Brunswick"...surely that most count for something...wait...i drove thru quispamsis once
David Amos
Reply to @James Risdon: Me Too
Jon Jones
Reply to @Allister Bannister: That does qualify you for political appointment, but are you BFFs to Higgs like Don Moore or to an MLA like Kevin Cormier.
Jon Jones
Reply to @David Amos: That does qualify you for political appointment, but are you BFFs to Higgs like Don Moore or to an MLA like Kevin Cormier
James Risdon
Reply to @Jon Jones: I am neither friend nor foe of Premier Blaine Higgs, a premier I find is often unfairly maligned but who I also consider could be doing more for the province.
David Amos
Reply to @Jon Jones: Surely you jest
Gracie Amos
Reply to @David Amos: No you didn’t.
Dave Layne
The only thing that is actually working in this government, (booze and drug sales)and Higgs is determined to apply his utter incompetence and non credibility to ruin that first, while dismantling our rights and turning NB into a division of Irving Corp. Then we build mini nukes! Higgs is a one man Gong Show.
Jon Jones
Reply to @Dave Layne: My apologies, but you forgot to include Higgs/MLAs political appointments of BFFs to 6 figure salaries. Case in point: Kevin Cormier.
Samual Johnston
Reply to @Jon Jones: My apologies but you forgot to include all politicians of all parties in all parts of NB, Canada and the World. Case in point: pick one any one.
Jon Jones
Reply to @Samual Johnston: 1 Million percent my Friend. Political patronage of incompetence government staff for all parties.... could not agree more. For clarity, my comment was in correlation to Dave's comment on Higgs.
There should be a citizens' committee to address these political appointments so they are not permitted to happen.
Trevis L. Kingston
Hopefully any lawyers writing the hiring contract can step over the usual gov't formula
contracts... that are SO full of loopholes... they often reward millions of dollars to the hired person even if the hired individual is fired or quits because of all too frequent suspected wrongdoing.
I hope the Gov't finds the golden needle in the non-political haystack and that person will
excell in their new position.
Bud Gardiner
Nice compromise between the Emperor and ANBL Chair. Get a shortlist & then we'll call in the "recruiters"
Roy Kirk
What process was followed in the hiring of KBRS?
Greg Miller
Well if the corporations have done well without a CEO since December--do you really need one?
Buford Wilson
Looks like Blaine was right again.
Let's move on.
Trent Connor
I’m so glad the government manages these industries. The private sector would be so lost trying to manage it themselves.
Cindy Cooper
Pot a'plenty. Thanks a lot JT.
Ralph Green
Reply to @Cindy Cooper: wait until it’s time to pay the bills:) those fools in those big cities ( Toronto)don’t even realize they are three days from anarchy:( at anyone point in time:(
maurice fougere
another waste of tax money franchise all this out just like liguor goverment should not run these company
James Risdon
Reply to @maurice fougere: So, you're saying that if the government manages the cannabis industry none of us will have pot to piss in?
Mario Doucet
buy cannabis online costs half of what cannabis nb charges and free delivery
Jeff LeBlanc
Reply to @Mario Doucet: that's what I do. Comes right to my po box. 400 MG gummies too!
James Risdon
Reply to @Mario Doucet: If you buy it from a kid in my neighbourhood, they ride up to your place on a dirt bike and hand it to you at the door. But, of course, that's illegal. So, don't do that.
Do. Not. Break. The. Law.
Repair Guy
Reply to @Mario Doucet: To each their own but after years of prohibition it is now legal and I prefer to support the legal channels to supplement my own (legal) growing.
William Peters
Throwing shade at his fellow conservative Bernard Lord now. I suppose that's not surprising from a man who was a COR party leader back in the day. The party of Irving has no qualms about paying to recruit among the CEO class it seems. Should be a pretty penny we hand out to someone who probably already sits on 6 or so corporate boards with his fellow upper crust. To be fair, this government would probably like to privatize the whole thing at some point. It must really burn them to have government running businesses. I notice they are quoting revenues, but what are the profits? Is any of this being done at a loss? « less
Corrie Weatherfield
Copied from article photo caption: " . . . more than $1.5 billion of profits have went into provincial coffers. (NB Liquor/Twitter) . . . "
Please forward this to the Hon. Mr. Cardy for an assessment of the grammar in this phrase.
Murray Brown
When it comes to booze and pot... There are plenty of 'experts' out there.
Dave Layne
Reply to @Murray Brown: Did you see the 'select' selection on the table at the sky palace? UCP bottle check.
Kelly Alder
How hard can it be to run a business that basically has zero legal competition? Wish I had the same problems running my small business.
Dave Layne
We need to get Higgs out of office asap. He is a corporate fixer and is not working in the interest of New Brunswick citizens. He is making that clear again and again and again.
JOHN NOWLAN
There can be few people in NB other than Robert Jones that actually believes the Board of those Crown Corporations launched a search for a CEO without a discussion with the premier's office and or the clerk of the executive council. That is just not how that world works.
The polls told the PC party that it was an unpopular decision and now they are trying to cover a part of their anatomy.
Larry Larson
You will notice how Higgs is throwing his Finance Minister under the bus. Last week he tried to defend the id iotic decision to use the want ads and now he says he had "misgivings".
Bud Gardiner
Reply to @Larry Larson: 'Twas all part of the plan. Get the desired folks and then have "misgivings" The Emperor must control all things. "[He] can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. " (Abraham Lincoln)
Larry Larson
This is what happens when you give the Finance Minister's position to the oh so "qualified" former morning talk show host from C103 radio. I mean, seriously?
David Webb NB
Reply to @Larry Larson: What party selects who can run for them based on what they are "qualified" for. That applies both provincially and federally. Ah yes, a drama teacher for a PM. "This election will be the last first past the post". Get your partisan head out of the sand.
Allister Bannister
Reply to @David Webb NB: cognitive bias much?...does it matter what colour they wear when they aren't fit for the job??
Larry Larson
Reply to @David Webb NB: I said nothing about what political party he works for. YOU are the one that brought politics into this by claiming that I am partisan and your attack on Trudeau makes it clear exactly who your preferred party is. I have a huge distaste for 99.9% of all politicians. Your attack on the teaching profession clearly tells me that you are a CONServative.
Larry Larson
Reply to @Allister Bannister: Agree 100% Allison!
Allister Bannister
Reply to @Larry Larson: background doesnt matter either...if you communicate properly...think clearly...have leadership and vision...are able to sell the tough decisions...have morals and ethics...then you are fit for the job...be you a keyboard jockey...neurosurgeon ....aviation engineer accountant..or sanitation engineer....doesnt matter what you do...its how you do it...neither higgy or JT have those qualities....just sayin
John Grail
The only entity that seems to "force" anything is government entities.
Wilson Rose
Free booze and weed should come with the job. That might attract some worthy candidates. The person should have extensive experience in the products being sold.
Randy McNally
Oh no ! Up goes the price for a box of beer once again. Dismantle NB Liquor.
JOhn D Bond
Sad statement that a high profile opening that is advertised and published doesn't attract the right type of folks. Says something about the perspective of the executive class about the province.
Allister Bannister
Reply to @JOhn D Bond: because who wants to work under political interference?
JOhn D Bond
Reply to @Allister Bannister: Not the point I was making at all.
Joseph Vacher
Im surprised they are just going to appoint Kevin Cormier
Guy Messervier
Jesus, how hard is it to sell alcohol & drugs?
Allister Bannister
Reply to @Guy Messervier: well...higgy needs his bobble head/fall guy
Andrew Taylor
I think where a executive search firm would be beneficial is that they will often pull competent and experienced candidates to the new position they are recruiting for - something that a simple job advertisement online can't do. They would contact the candidates directly and speak with them, sell them on New Brunswick, sell them on the job, talk about how great it would be to work here, and what a delight it would be for their career, something a job posting can't do.
I'm willing to bet the online job advertisement found dozens or hundreds of unqualified candidates from all over the world that the board needs to weed though, whereas a search firm would have had 3-5 very qualified candidates placed in front of them.
How the board thought it was a good idea to do this on their own if baffling to me, but it might have something to do with overestimating their own competency in this process (or maybe trying to be efficient, probably a few different factors that I'm not aware of), but either way it's risk for the premier to take note of.
Dan Short
Reply to @Andrew Taylor:
And as I already asked out of our tens of thousands of civil servants we don't have anyone Thst can do those things. They can't sell NB. They can't figure out who to reach out to?
Joe Rootliek
The Logo would be my first change on my first day on the job. The Logo is not appealing, black and white, Cannabis NB. I would change it to The Ganja Store, and put the letters in light green against a white or changing color background!
Dan Short
Reply to @Joe Rootliek:
Right so what about a million in cost to do so. that would mean a complete rebranding of anything with the logo. Product, signs, ads, uniforms, office supplies ...
Carl Leblanc
Reply to @Joe Rootliek: I don't think they are allowed to market the weed store as a weed store. It might promote sales.
Billy Popamahovilich
Why not just fill the position with a patronage appointment like always?
Dan Short
Reply to @Billy Popamahovilich:
It would get the task over so we could move on to real issues, instead of tying up resources and money on who to hire.
Allister Bannister
Reply to @Billy Popamahovilich: cause then higgy's buddy at the head hunting firm doesnt get his palm greased
Billy Popamahovilich
More Provincial tax dollars well spent.
Dan Short
Reply to @Billy Popamahovilich:
Well it wouldn't be necessary if everyone didn't have this bee in their bonnet about patronage,
Millions dying around the world, people starving in this province and homeless, but yes let's worry about someone getting hired by patronage. I mean like, clearly that's more important of an issue to worry about, than death,mill ness and homelessness.
David Webb NB
Reply to @Dan Short: You should have been around during WWI and WW2. Even the 1970's would give you a view to where we are headed.
Michael Collins
Reply to @Dan Short: Hard to compare a patronage appointment with death,illness and homelessness. Maybe if we didn't have so many incompetent patronage appointments trying to run the province we could hire people who could understand and address some of the more serious issues
Joe Rootliek
I will take the job. Promise profits will go to healthcare. Promise only high quality stuff. Promise no tracking of customers, no 20 questions, when they come in to buy it....
Do I got the job?
Dan Short
Reply to @Joe Rootliek:
No. C,early you don't know sales methods. That dats you say you won't collect is crucial to increase sales and profits.
Joe Rootliek
Reply to @Dan Short: i thought the stuff sold by itself?
Dan Short
Reply to @Joe Rootliek:
Well people certainly are not going to buy from Canabis NB because they don't like a logo. Yes let's spend hundreds of thousands to change a logo...
Ronald McCallum
Reply to @Joe Rootliek:
" I will take the job. Promise profits will go to healthcare."
SORRY, the question of where the profits goes does NOT come under the preview of the President and Chief Executive Officer of NB Liquor and Cannabis, it comes under the preview of Her Majesty's Government and Her Majesty's Parliament in the Province of New Brunswick.
Lorelei Stott
the business got pulled out of the dumpster then the province saw it as a shiny coin and now they definitely should use a professional firm to hire based on merit, skill, competencies to keep it buffed up
Dan Short
Reply to @Lorelei Stott:
NB Liquor was never in a dumpster,
Dan Short
It's sellin booze and drugs, people are gonna buy it no matter who is in charge, put in some minimum wage jockey.
Dan Short
These head hunting firms, are nothing but a huge waste of taxpayer money. We've got tens of thousands of civil servants in this province. Nit one can put out advertisements for the position, and read through resumes?
Michael Collins
"In a move announced Thursday, Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette (KBRS) has been hired to screen candidates NB Liquor has already found, but not search for new or better ones."
What a joke. It's give them a list where your chosen candidate stands out, and get the results you want.
Fred Brewer
Reply to @Michael Collins: This is just smoke and mirrors. We can call it Uncle Higgy's Dog and Pony Show. So we hire a super expensive consulting firm to review a list of Conservative Party loyalists that the board has pre-selected? This makes no sense at all.
Dan Short
Reply to @Dan Short:
I'm so sick of this whole fear and stigma of patronage, who cares. Government come and go, patronage positions follow suit,
Michael Collins
Reply to @Dan Short: Lots of New Brunswickers care. Too many incompetent patronage appointees trying to run this province now. We need people with experience and knowledge of the jobs they are tasked with, not friends of friends.
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/contacts/dept_renderer.1.7263.html#employees
Minister (Minister's Office)
New Brunswick Liquor Corporation
Minister does not have any employees.
General Information
(506) 453-2451
Reception : (506) 453-24518:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fax : (506) 457-4989
Email : Receptionist@anbl.com
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/contacts/dept_renderer.1.3.html#employees
Board of Directors (Chairman Office)
New Brunswick Liquor Corporation
| Contact Information | Phone | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
BERRY, KEVIN (Board Member) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton | |
BERUBE-GAGNE, JOANNE (Board Member) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton | |
CORREIA, JOHN (Board Member (Chair)) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton | |
CRAIG, KATHRYN (Board Member) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton | |
ELLIOTT, PAUL (Board Member) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton | |
LAVERDURE, CÉDRIC (Board Member) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton | |
WOOD, BRUCE (Board Member) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton |
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/contacts/dept_renderer.1.1044.html
President and CEO (Deputy Head's Office)
New Brunswick Liquor Corporation
General Information
(506) 452-6826
8:15 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.Reception : (506) 452-6826
8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fax : (506) 462-2024
Email : Patrick.Parent@anbl.com
http://www.anbl.com
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/contacts/dept_renderer.1.1044.201107.html#employees
Chief Executive Assistant (Section)
New Brunswick Liquor Corporation
| Contact Information | Phone | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
DOUGLASS, PATTI (Administrative Assistant ) | P: (506) 452-6522 | Fredericton | |
MUNN, TERRYLYNN (Receptionist) | P: (506) 452-6826 | Fredericton |