News Release

FREDERICTON (CNB) – Four acting deputy minister assignments were announced today by Premier David Alward.

"These four senior public servants have agreed to take on the role of acting deputy minister for their respective departments," Alward said. "I have full confidence they will perform these additional duties with the same degree of professionalism and energy that they bring to their current responsibilities."

The four acting deputy ministers are:

Douglas Holt, currently senior vice-president, corporate services and programs with the Regional Development Corporation, becomes acting deputy minister of energy.  

A long-time public servant, Holt spent more than 15 years in senior management in the private sector, mostly in Saint John. In 1988, he joined the provincial government, where he has focused on economic and community development investment partnerships and corporate finance and accounting matters. The term of this appointment will coincide with the recommendations and outcomes of the energy commission appointed last Friday, Oct 15.

Judith Keating, currently assistant deputy attorney general and chief legislative counsel, becomes acting deputy attorney general and acting deputy minister of justice and consumer affairs.

Keating is a career public servant, having joined the Department of Justice and Consumer Affairs as well as the Office of the Attorney General as a legislative counsel in 1985 after four years in private practice. Keating is known for her expertise in constitutional law, and she was responsible for overseeing New Brunswick's Statute Revision Project and Electronic Reform. She has been involved in revising and drafting many key pieces of national and provincial legislation. She was appointed Queen's counsel in 2002.

The provincial government will conduct consultations on the appointment of a permanent deputy minister/deputy attorney general during the next two months. These consultations will include discussions with the New Brunswick judicial community represented by the chief justices (trial division and Court of Queen's Bench); Canadian Bar Association – New Brunswick division; l'Association des juristes d’expression française du Nouveau-Brunswick; and the New Brunswick Law Society.

Tim Porter, currently assistant deputy minister for communications with Communications New Brunswick, becomes acting deputy minister of Communications New Brunswick.

A former journalist and career communications specialist, Porter has served with Communications New Brunswick for more than a decade, first as director of corporate communications, then as general manager and executive director of communications.

Byron James, currently deputy minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, assumes additional responsibilities as acting deputy minister of education (anglophone sector).

A public servant for 35 years, James moved to the provincial government in 1987 after working with the federal government as an economist. He has served at the most senior level of the provincial public service since first being named deputy minister of municipalities and housing in 1998.