I have been a Yukoner for 45 years and I have never witnessed a premier/government leader so completely out of control as we are witnessing today.
The latest power grab is the leaking of many items in the 2010 budget before it is presented to the legislature.
In government history, this is unprecedented that the premier of a province or territory goes to a select public meeting and leaks the budget before it has been tabled in the legislature.
In Canada, it is the role of elected MLAs and MPs to see, hear and evaluate the details of the budget in the legislature.
In many parts of the democratic world, people who release facts of the proposed budget before it is introduced in the legislature have gone to jail. What this tells me is that Dennis Fentie is not concerned about the democratic principles that guide our country and is showing no respect for the legislature.
It appears to me that the current Yukon Party government is working overtime at convincing Yukoners they have the right path and have the money to pay for it. What this Yukon Party government is trying to do is convince all Yukoners that they are the voice of reason and truth. We all know that this is not the case as many troubling government actions have been exposed. For example, consider the $35-million investment in asset-backed commercial paper by YTG, the altering of the Peel River Basin report, the attempt to give away Yukon Energy assets to ATCO and mortgaging future generations with Crown corporations borrowing huge sums of money to build capital projects. These are just a few of the actions we know about, and I am sure there are many more we don’t know about.
We all know government ministers and board appointments are there at the “pleasure of the premier.” Is this why Yukon Party ministers and MLAs do not stand up to the premier?
What concerns me even more is that the Yukon Party elected MLAs do not stand up for Yukoners.
I challenge all Yukon Party MLAs to stand up for Yukoners. What are you afraid of? As elected MLAs do you represent Yukoners who voted for you or do you represent the will of Fentie?
Fentie has completely disregarded democratic principles and is continuing to act like a tin pot dictator.
Yukoners, let your MLAs know you do not accept this abuse of democracy.
Don Roberts
Whitehorse