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Elias roped into whistleblower committee

Liberal Leader Darius Elias wants no part of the newly struck committee that's charged with looking at creating whistleblower legislature.

Liberal Leader Darius Elias wants no part of the newly struck committee that’s charged with looking at creating whistleblower legislature.

As far as the Vuntut Gwitchin MLA is concerned, the committee is just another excuse for the Yukon Party government to delay drafting a law to protect government workers who report wrongdoing and corruption.

But since the government named Elias to the committee on Tuesday, he has little choice but to show up. If he doesn’t, he could face a $100 fine for each missed meeting.

“It’s the house that establishes the membership of committees, not members themselves,” said the legislature’s clerk, Floyd McCormick. “So if the house names him to a committee, he’s obligated to participate in its meetings and everything else.

“In some jurisdictions, members get paid to sit on committees,” said McCormick. “We don’t do that, but we fine them if they don’t.”