A senior public service shuffle announced last week by Saskatchewan premier Lorne Calvert has led to a new deputy minister of agriculture.
Harvey Brooks will take over from Doug Matthies, who moves to finance, effective June 1.
Brooks was raised on a farm near Rosthern, Sask., and obtained degrees in agricultural economics at the University of Saskatchewan, followed by his doctorate from Iowa State.
He was head of corporate policy at the Canadian Wheat Board, held senior positions at Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and was the co-operative chair in agricultural marketing and business at the University of Alberta.
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Brooks joined the Saskatchewan public service in 2001 and has been deputy minister of rural revitalization, highways and government relations.
Agriculture minister Mark Wartman was highways minister when Brooks was in that department. He said Brooks has “many good gifts” to bring to the agriculture portfolio.
The shuffle will also see Louise Greenberg, a former assistant deputy minister of agriculture and current deputy of regional economic and co-operative development, move to the health department.
Lily Stonehouse moves from environment to government relations. No replacements have been named for the positions at environment and regional economic and co-operative development.
