"A year of high-level early retirements..."

From the end of the first column I wrote this year:

Incidentally, the bureaucrats I talk to aren’t plotting to put Harper to sleep. On the contrary. Many wonder whether this government will wake up. One of Ottawa’s most experienced civil servants tells me the widespread belief is that Harper’s government is so obsessed with each morning’s headlines that it cannot plan. This official predicts a year of high-level early retirements from the civil service if Harper does not start using his majority.

Last month Richard Dicerni, the deputy minister of Industry, announced his retirement — arguably not early, at 63 after ably serving the federal and Ontario governments for nearly 30 years. Dicerni’s retirement was followed by Paul Boothe’s as deputy minister of Environment. Today the Hill Times reports Rob Fonberg at DND is "considering" retirement.