Arthur Mitchell believes “we need an election” and, that as Opposition leader he is “anxious to put the matter (of nonconfidence in the leader of the Yukon Party) to the Yukon public in a snap election.”
Really?
Do Yukoners really want or need three elections this fall? The already scheduled municipal elections in October, an almost certain fall federal election and now, on top of that a Yukon election?
Haven’t Yukoners been calling for their elected representatives to do their jobs? To engage with each other in a respectful and meaningful way to address the pressing issues facing ordinary Yukoners?
Perhaps Mitchell, along with the other elected representatives selected by Yukoners to represent them, should seize the opportunity presented by Cathers’ moment of conscience to show us how a minority government can work to the benefit of all Yukoners.
Who knows? Perhaps the idea of being a front man or woman for the autocratic stylings of Fentie’s Yukon Party inner circle will be less appealing than the opportunity to serve as an honourable member of the legislature and we may see others from Fentie’s little group give it a go. We can hope.
Yukoners do not need a territorial election at this point in time. We need our elected representatives to start to work with each other à effectively à now. They have (all) been given a second chance to show us that they know how. If not, unless territorial politicians choose to follow the lead of the Harper Tories they have a fixed date with the electorate in 2011.
I, for one, will be watching carefully.
Elizabeth Hanson
NDP leadership candidate
Whitehorse