Liberals Set to Vote No Confidence

24-Nov-2009

Whitehorse – All members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly will vote this Wednesday on whether they have confidence in the Yukon Party government led by Premier Fentie. That’s when the Official Opposition will bring forward a motion of non-confidence, according to Leader Arthur Mitchell.

“We have reached a point where we can no longer support the current government,” Mitchell said. “On Wednesday we intend to lay out the case for why only an election will resolve the question of whether this government still has the support of Yukon voters.”

Mitchell said Yukoners no longer trust the government.

“The Premier spent the summer denying he was involved in negotiations to privatize our energy future,” he said. “Yukoners are not fooled. They know the Premier was personally leading those negotiations and that his denials are worthless. Worse yet, all the other Yukon Party members have backed the Premier and endorsed his actions. They are all in this together and Yukoners deserve a chance to vote for a government they can trust.”

Integrity, or the lack of it, is the root of the problem.

“When the Premier told Yukoners this spring that he had not interfered in the Peel Watershed land use plan they took him at his word,” Mitchell said. “Subsequent events have clearly proven the Premier did interfere and again his colleagues, including the Deputy Premier, have condoned his approach. The entire Yukon Party caucus has refused to stand up to the corner office and they should be held accountable at the polls.”

The Liberal Leader is hopeful all members of the assembly will be allowed to debate the motion.

“Only three weeks ago we saw the Premier unilaterally shut down debate on opposition business in the House,” he said.

“Yukoners want to see how each member votes on this motion and we’re looking for assurances the government will allow it to come to a vote. Voters deserve to know where every member of this House stands.”