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Deb is fully recouped and is busily back at work. I too have been busy. What was so recently a slow work load rapidly expanded into a busy schedule. I've got more than enough to do and it should persist well into September. I talked with Van last Monday about my assignment and it's rather relaxed and slow paced nature. Seems as though my complaints were a bit premature because we got some basics established and set some objectives about future efforts to make my job more productive and, perhaps, more useful to the public service. That may be overly optimistic but there were a few key problems that needed resolving before the job could operate more officially. Biggest problem is lack of a counterpart. My attachment to Mr Gaynes was an administrative necessity but not much help in getting the contacts and information I needed to pull this thing together. The logical choice would be an attachment to the Services Commission (personnel). I have been working mostly with Gillian John and an official attachment to her might smooth some of the problems related to protocol and collaboration on training and related matters. The second problem was how and where I could go outside the public service to provide consultative help to those who might utilize me in the private sector. Mr Keene assured me that private consultation in the private sector was within P.C. purview so we might circulate a letter to private companies offering my skills. I'm also going to rewrite my job description and goals in terms of broader objectives. The job description project is not going to plan and I don't see it as my job to promote the exercise. I will assist but I won't be writing all the job descriptions as I originally and optimistically had intended. I don't see that as my role here. 

And, to add to that just talked to Van again (on the steps of my office on returning from lunch) and things are even more up in the air. Apparently, Mr Keene talked to both the Prime Minister and the minister of the PM's office and they think I should be attached to Labour Dept. No problem, as long as I do not have to give up turf already gained in the “waiting game” played the last 8 months. I still want to be intimately involved in the development of an in-house training program. I still want to be available to work on personnel matters i.e. job descriptions and performance eval, etc. Taking on job creation and allocation matters in Labour is fine as long as I don't become a “body” to do things no one else is willing or able to do. Gads I need a counterpart and Jill was a good one. She needs more experience and support in her training efforts here. I am a training professional and should remain near to that discipline. Career-wise I will benefit more if I remain in that capacity. It will be interesting to see what actually will become my job. I am a bit worried about it.