Yukon Premier Sandy Silver and his Liberal government are not jumping ship anytime soon, despite speculations being floated by the official opposition.
In a May 11 release, Brad Cathers, who is the MLA for Lake Laberge and the Yukon Party critic for democratic institutions, insinuated the premier would be vacating the top post and triggering a Liberal leadership race.
“With Premier Silver widely expected to announce his retirement later this year, it is important that he be open and transparent with the public,” Cathers said in the release, adding the premier must “lay out the ground rules for cabinet ministers who are seeking to replace him to ensure that government resources are not used in the Liberal leadership election.”
A terse response from the Yukon government to the News’ inquiry was prompted by the release issued by the Yukon Party.
“The member for Lake Laberge obviously has too much time on his hands and we will not be taking career advice from this failed Yukon Party leader,” reads a May 11 email statement from Cabinet communications.
“Obviously the Yukon Party is projecting their own leadership struggles and trying to distract from the division within their party. The entire Yukon Liberal government remains committed to serving Yukoners for the duration of its mandate.”
Cathers ran as a candidate in the 2020 Yukon Party leadership election to replace Darrell Pasloski, who resigned after his majority government was defeated and Pasloski lost his territorial re-election campaign in Mountainview on Nov. 7, 2016.
Stacey Hassard was named the Yukon Party’s interim leader until the party selected a new leader in May 2020.
Currie Dixon won the party’s latest leadership contest and was reaffirmed as Yukon Party leader as part of a regular leadership review conducted during the party’s annual general meeting on April 30.
Silver took over the Liberal helm when former leader Darius Elias, one of only two Liberal MLAs at the time, stepped down in 2012 to sit as an Independent.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com