Premier Sandy Silver is rushing to support one of his ministers after she made incorrect statements regarding an investigation into Many Rivers Counselling and Support Services’ financial problems last week.
“The minister did make a mistake in her presentation and immediately after that corrected the record, and then we come into the legislative assembly and get mocked for that,” Silver said. “It speaks to the level of integrity that Yukoners want us to have in the legislative assembly.”
The investigation, according to Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost, found that a transfer payment provided around this time last year to the organization was “mismanaged.”
The funding that went to the now defunct organization was for roughly $500,000.
Silver said the opposition isn’t willing to move away from the mistake.
Patti McLeod, the Yukon Party’s health critic, hammered Frost for saying a third party audit was shared with the RCMP when it wasn’t. She also questioned whether criminal matters were investigated.
Frost originally said the investigation found no criminal behaviour. She has since said that the third part audit “did not reveal whether or not criminal behavior occurred given information gaps. However, it did alert Health and Social Services to practices and procedures within the organization that were of significant concern.”
Frost heads three massive portfolios — health and social services, environment and housing. Reporters asked whether Silver would consider a cabinet shuffle in order to take some of the load off. He said he isn’t considering one right now.
“It’s absolutely amazing the work she does. I have every confidence in the world in my minister.”
Frost hasn’t said whether the investigation will be released, nor has she said whether a forensic audit will be conducted.