WINNIPEG – A Manitoba official was demoted for recently traveling to the United States to direct mixed martial arts games for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The disciplinary measure follows a provincial guideline in early February that instructed political officials not to travel for recreational purposes.
Jerin Valel was the umpire in the games for the UFC in Las Vegas in late February and March after the policy went into effect.
With an annual salary of $ 146,690, Valel was temporarily promoted to Deputy Minister for Transformation in the Family Department in late February, according to a Cabinet Order.
In a statement, Blake Robert, director of media relations for the Pallister government, said that the individual’s trip should not have taken place after the non-essential travel assignment.
“Although the trip was within the recognized public health protocols of a professional sports bubble and complied with cross-border public health regulations, it was contrary to the intent of the provincial travel policy,” Robert writes.
Robert says the commissioner has confirmed that he will not leave the province until the policy is lifted and he is downgraded.
“Appropriate measures have been taken with the individual. The recent move of the individual to a managerial position was decided by an order-in-council, which is being terminated, “Robert said in a statement. “As a result, he will leave this leadership position and return to his previous position in government.”
Valel previously served as director of technology transformation for the Manitoba government.
Robert also says Prime Minister Brian Pallister was unaware of the Commissioner’s trip but would not say whether the official had received permission from anyone else in the government.
“Since this is a personnel problem and the confidentiality of the employees is maintained, no further comment may be made,” he wrote.
The policy came into effect after it was discovered that some government employees were not in the province.
Wayne McWhirter, chairman of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, resigned after traveling to Arizona.
PC MLA James Teitsma was deprived of a committee appointment for traveling west on vacation.
David McLaughlin, former campaign manager and current CEO of Pallister, was given the privilege of working out of Ottawa for the last two weeks of December.
Winnipeg labor attorney Shannon Carson said the province’s policy was unclear and unreasonable.
“It doesn’t define what is recreational travel, and it doesn’t define what is an allowable travel area,” she said.
“This rule is intended to regulate what employees do in their non-working time, which is normally not an employer’s business.”
CTV News has contacted Jerin Valel for a comment.
– With files from The Canadian Press
