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Phelps' fledgling party still flapping

The United Citizens Group is still willing to wage electoral war on the governing Yukon Party, despite the cancellation of its founding convention this summer.

The United Citizens Group is still willing to wage electoral war on the governing Yukon Party, despite the cancellation of its founding convention this summer.

The new party has fallen largely silent over the last four months after its ad-hoc leader, Willard Phelps, injured his leg in a grocery store in June.

Phelps, who returned from a hunting trip last week, says the party is on.

“We expect a news release to go out sometime next week,” he said.

The announcement will include a new date for the party’s founding convention.

The party’s low profile comes amid speculation that Premier Dennis Fentie might call an election this fall.

But Phelps doesn’t think it will happen.

“It’s suicidal for him to do it, but who knows,” he said.

“The polls are pretty telling and he’s in terrible shape there.”

“He might roll the dice if he thinks the other parties are weak,” he said.

The Yukon Party hasn’t been able to recover the popularity it lost last year, according to polls by Data Path Systems.

“The way the numbers are now, he doesn’t stand to have anything more than one seat,” said Phelps. (James Munson)