The Yukon Liberal Party is drawing attention to the more than “4,000 taxpayer-funded one-way trips to work” that Yukon Party MLA for Lake Laberge Brad Cathers claimed since he was elected.
By the Liberals’ count, Cathers hit 4,038 trips since his election in November 2002.
Cathers billed taxpayers for as many as 232 one-way trips in a year in 2017-18 and claimed as much as $24,685 per year in 2019-20 on top of his salary, benefits and pension as an elected official, the Liberals wrote in a Facebook post on May 16.
Yukon MLA travel expenses are made public for each fiscal year.
In 2023-24, Cathers’ total spending on travel added up to more than $24,500. That includes 203 trips plus about $1,400 on caucus travel to Vancouver for a prominent mining event.
The Liberals post on Facebook suggests Cathers' spending over the last year works out to filling up a diesel truck approximately 121 times, buying more than 66,000 Timbits or driving more than 33,000 kilometres at the Yukon government’s 2024 rate of $0.70 per kilometre for travel in a private vehicle.
“Since his election in 2002, MLA Cathers has claimed $268,880.18 in travel reimbursements above and beyond his taxpayer-funded salary, pension and benefits. This comes out to an average of $92.76 per one-way trip to work,” reads the Liberals’ post.
“Is your commute this profitable?”
A written statement provided to the News from Yukon Party press secretary Tim Kucharuk argued Cathers saves taxpayers money by not renting accommodation in Whitehorse, which rural MLAs are permitted to do in addition to travel.
Kucharuk noted Cathers claimed the second lowest amount of all eight rural MLAs.
Mayo-Tatchun MLA Jeremy Harper, who is a Liberal and the speaker of the house, had the highest travel expense claim for the past year at more than $66,400. That includes $1,966 per month in rent. Harper lives in Pelly Crossing.
“The Liberals are out of touch and trying to distract Yukoners from the fact the Premier and his beleaguered Health and Social Services Minister have had their travel expenses questioned publicly,” Kucharuk wrote, referring to Tracy-Anne McPhee’s $13,000 trip to Scotland and another $170,000 spent on a mission to Asia that involved the premier.
“The social media post in question is just mudslinging by a desperate Liberal government engaging in Ottawa-style personal attacks.”
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Kucharuk drew on recent statements from Yukon Liberal figures urging civility in politics.
Below is a breakdown of the approximate total travel expenses claimed by each MLA in 2023-24:
Vuntut Gwitchin MLA Annie Blake of the Yukon NDP claimed more than $43,000.
Kluane MLA Wade Istchenko of the Yukon Party filed for over $40,000.
Watson Lake MLA Patti McLeod filed for under $40,000.
Klondike MLA Sandy Silver of the Liberals is down for approximately $32,500 in travel expenses.
Pelly-Nisutlin MLA Stacey Hassard of the Yukon Party put in about $25,000 in travel expenses.
Copperbelt South MLA Scott Kent of the Yukon Party claimed around $9,500.
Copperbelt North MLA Currie Dixon, who is Yukon Party leader, had more than $9,200 in travel expenses.
Takhini-Kopper King MLA Kate White, who leads the Yukon NDP, claimed approximately $8,300.
Whitehorse Centre MLA Lane Tredger of the NDP racked up just over $5,100 in claims.
Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes MLA John Streicker of the Liberals claimed about $4,700.
Porter Creek North MLA Geraldine Van Bibber of the Yukon Party marked down around $2,700.
Porter Creek Centre MLA Yvonne Clarke of the Yukon Party claimed under $1,400.
No claims were filed for Riverdale North MLA Nils Clarke, Mountainview MLA McLean, Riverdale South MLA McPhee, Whitehorse West MLA Richard Mostyn and Porter Creek South MLA Pillai of the governing Liberals.
Ministerial travel expenses are posted separately on the Yukon government’s website.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com