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Fentie and ministers mum on Cather's resignation

It has been one week since a senior minister resigned from Premier Dennis Fentie's cabinet and there is still no government response.

It has been one week since a senior minister resigned from Premier Dennis Fentie’s cabinet and there is still no government response.

Former Energy, Mines and Resources minister Brad Cathers resigned last Friday, alleging Fentie “lied” about the ATCO scandal. The resignation put the Yukon Party government in a minority status.

The threat of a government collapse at the hands of a nonconfidence motion - and the serious allegation that Fentie was dishonest about privatizing the Yukon Energy Corporation - has slid a cone of silence over the government.

Calls to Fentie’s spokesperson, Roxanne Vallevand, were not returned Thursday.

Messages left with the staff of Glenn Hart, Marian Horne, Elaine Taylor and Archie Lang were not returned either.

Cathers also accused Fentie of having negotiated with ATCO behind the backs of the ministers responsible for the file, a list that includes Cathers and Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon.

Kenyon is in China this week attending two business conferences.

Fentie left Thursday morning for Iqaluit to meet with territorial premiers, Nunavut Premier Eva Ariak told the Northern Forum on Thursday.

But Ariak was able to leave for Iqaluit on Thursday afternoon.

And the premiers’ meeting isn’t scheduled to begin until today, according to a Yukon government news release.

Fentie will meet with cabinet members and the Yukon Party executive before making a statement, Vallevand said Tuesday.

Vallevand didn’t know when those meetings were scheduled.

Contact James Munson at jamesm@yukon-news.com.