Selinger parts ways with senior staffers who backed Oswald

Three ofManitoba Premier Greg Selinger's senior staffers are gone from the government.

CBC News has confirmed that one of the members isAnna Rothney, who was head of the NDP cabinet's priorities and planning committee.

The change came one day after Selinger narrowly defeated Theresa Oswald in aleadership votefor the provincial NDP.

Rothney had been appointed to that position by Selingerin 2012 buttook a leave of absence from that position in December to become manager for Theresa Oswald's campaign to unseat Selinger as party leader.

Sources told CBC News the other two staffers are Jen Anthony, who was director of issues management, and Alissa Brandt, who was the director of the premier's secretariat. Both were also inlead positions on the Oswald campaign.

A government source saidthey are currently negotiating "mutual separation agreements triggered by their personal employment contracts."

The government source told CBC Newsothers may be moved around but those threeare the only ones who will be leaving.

Staff leaving despite encouragement to get involved in leadership race

The departures come in spite of an internal memo the premier's acting chief of staff sent to political staffers back in December encouraging them to get involved with the leadership race because it was good experience.

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At a meeting the day prior, staffers were publicly told it didn't matter whose leadership bid they joined.

The departure of the three also comes after senior stafferMeaghan Dewar signed an agreement two months ago to leave. She also worked on the Oswald campaign.

A government source told CBC he wasn't surprised by the departures."The premier needs to be able to trust his most senior advisers," he said. "It's unfortunate, but given that his senior staff campaigned for another candidate, there is simply no way he could trust them again."

The source also sayssenior staff can get better severance packages, because their jobs carry more risk. So this will be an expensive exodus for the government.

Selinger calledthe leadership contest after Oswald and four other cabinet members went public with concerns about his command of the party.

Theresa Oswald would not comment about the staff departures,

"I have a farewell and thank-you event with my volunteers today, whole bunch of young people who are in it for the right reason. I need those kids to see that we are OK, and that the movement and the party is worth fighting for," Oswaldsaid in a statement.