Dwight Ball overhauls communications in premier's office

Dwight Ball has announced yet another shakeup in the premier's office, with the appointment of a new communications director.

Nancy O'Connor, who was in charge of Ball's communications during the campaign and worked with him while in opposition, is no longer director of communications.

O'Connor will be replaced by Andrew Caddell, who is returning to the province after working as a senior policy advisor with various federal government departments.

There is no immediate word on why O'Connor has left the premier's office. 

Latest staffing switch 

In the eight months since the Liberals formed the government, there has been a lot of turnover in the premier's office.

Ball's chief of staff and deputy chief of staff both left the office, and neither position has been directly replaced.

The premier's press secretary was also recently moved into a non-political government communications job.

In a news release Thursday, Ball announced two other communications appointments. 

Michelle Cannizzaro is the new media relations manager and Jillian Hood was appointed as content manager. Those positions are effective immediately.

Caddell will begin in his role on Aug. 22.

'Postergate'

O'Connor was involved with the controversy surrounding posters calling for Ball to resign that government paid to have removed near Confederation building in St. John's in June. 

The premier said his office wasn't involved in the removal of the posters, but an email released through access to information showed that O'Connor had asked staff at Memorial University about whether the posters could be taken down.

Activists involved in putting the sign up said the premier was lying, but he said at the time that O'Connor was merely inquiring if the posters were allowed to be there.