Today, Dennis Fentie will give a speech before the chambers of commerce.
It promises to be an upbeat affair — good food, friendly crowd, and cheerful premier.
He’s going to ask for a new mandate, to “stay the course.”
And he’ll lay out how well the Yukon Party has governed the territory over the last four years.
Absent the numerous scandals, the party defections, the lack of action on important legislation, like child-protection, the turmoil in aboriginal relations, land claims and public land development, the deficit spending, the capital project spending overruns, one wonders what he’ll say.
He’ll highlight the economy, failing to mention its running solely on federal transfers.
He’ll talk mineral exploration, but will gloss over the fact it’s being spurred high metal prices, not any groundbreaking initiative by his government.
He’ll talk mining, but can’t identify any new operating mines because there still aren’t any. There’s just some construction projects that might result in operating mines, if — and this is a big “if,” in light of evidence of a slowdown in the US economy — prices remain at record levels.
Fentie will talk real estate, glossing over the fact the local market has slowed dramatically over the last couple of months.
And he won’t mention that prices are inflated because his government has bungled new lot development, which caused the inflation.
Heck, on Friday the Whitehorse Copper country residential subdivision his government was responsible for building — and promised to have ready this fall — was delayed indefinitely.
And Fentie will talk about the Canada Games, but will gloss over the fact his athlete’s village cost more than $30 million, one of the largest cost overruns in Yukon government history.
Fentie has dubbed Friday’s speech A Clear Vision for a Bright Future.
Nice sentiment, but it’s four years too late. (RM)