Open letter to Premier Darrell Pasloski:
The Yukon Party’s Jan. 14 news release states: “the Yukon Party government and Premier Pasloski continue to stand up for Yukoners who want accountable, responsible governments.”
While many Yukoners doubt this to be true, there is an opportunity for the premier to prove this is an honest statement - tell Yukoners how much taxpayers’ money his government is spending on the Peel regional plan’s legal process.
Like many Yukoners, I too want an accountable government.
In recent times, the Yukon Party government has spent a lot of money on the Peel legal process it precipitated by ignoring the terms and conditions of the Yukon land claim agreements, which form part of the Constitution of Canada.
If it is true that the premier wants accountable, responsible government, then he should immediately provide answers to the following four questions:
1. How much taxpayers’ money did your Yukon Party government pay to law firms for the Yukon Supreme court action that the Yukon Government lost in the Peel case?
2. How much has your government budgeted to pay law firms for the Court of Appeal challenge to the Yukon Supreme Court decision?
3. What is the cost of Department of Justice, cabinet office and other department staff time for the Yukon Supreme Court action?
4. What is the estimated cost to the Department of Justice, cabinet office and other department staff time for the Court of Appeal action?
I note that I could not find any contracts with law firms involved in the Peel case, including with John L. Hunter, Q.C., posted on the Yukon government’s contract registry.
If Premier Pasloski and the Yukon Party are being truthful about wanting accountable government, then they should immediately post all these contracts for all Yukoners to see them. After all, construction, service and other contracts are posted on the registry, so why is the government hiding these legal services contracts?
David Hedmann
Whitehorse