18 / Canadian Government Executive / Spring 2025 FEATURE TRANSITION FROM A PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE THE MANITOBA EXPERIENCE As a provincial deputy minister, when an election is approaching it’s critical to focus on engaging staff and developing well thought through materials to prepare for a potential transition. With recent demographic changes, many provincial employees are relatively new to public service and have only known one government. This was evident in the recent change in Manitoba in 2023, requiring significant effort to ensure the department was ready to support a transition. There is excitement in the public service with an approaching election but also stress for some as they face the unknown. Coaching staff to help them be open to change, promoting a nimble and responsive, non-partisan public service is a high priority. Engaging with employees in-person, online department town halls, and frequent emails underscoring key messages has helped calm anxieties and ground our team in what it means to be a public servant. BY JAN FORSTER
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