Tina Namiesniowski says she needs to ‘take a break’ and ‘step aside so someone else can step up’
The president of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is stepping down only 18 months into the job, leaving the federal agency tasked with coordinating the country’s COVID-19 response without a seasoned leader.
Tina Namiesniowski said she would be stepping aside immediately to make way for a new president.
A spokesperson for Health Minister Patty Hajdu said the government expects to have a replacement for Namiesniowski “in the coming days.”
In a letter to staff, Namiesniowski, a long-serving bureaucrat, said she needs to “take a break” and “step aside so someone else can step up” to lead the agency as caseloads spike and testing times creep up in some parts of the country.
“You really need someone who will have the energy and the stamina to take the agency and our response to the next level,” she said in internal correspondence announcing her departure, which was later released by PHAC.
“While responding to this crisis, we’ve done many things since then to add capacity, improve processes, take on new roles and really build up the competence that had diminished in recent years. All of this work has taken a personal toll on so many people … I put myself in that category.”
In a statement, Hajdu said Namiesniowski has shown an “unwavering commitment” and has given “incredible service” to Canada during her tenure as the head of PHAC.
“She has led a committed team of public servants who have been working flat out for months. I have seen first hand the countless hours that Tina has spent away from her family to protect Canadians,” she said.
“We are all grateful. Thank you for working so hard to keep all of us safe, and all the best in your next steps.”
Before her appointment to the top job at PHAC in May 2019, Namiesniowski held a number of senior postings within government. She served as the executive vice-president of the Canada Border Services Agency and was an assistant deputy minister at Agriculture Canada and Public Safety Canada.
John Paul Tasker – CBC News – September 18, 2020.
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