Sandy Silver released the following open letter today

Dear Editor:

It was very disappointing to read the news that former Yukon Party cabinet minister Patrick Rouble has been appointed to the Yukon Land Use Planning Council.   The Yukon Land Use Planning Council helps Government, Yukon First Nations and Regional Planning Commissions coordinate their efforts to conduct regional land use planning.

It was Mr. Rouble, the former Energy, Mines and Resources Minister, who began the pushback against the Peel Land Use Plan in 2011.  His opposition to the Peel plan has been documented repeatedly which makes me question the motivation for the appointment. How can we possibly move forward on independent land use planning with a coordinator appointed whose public record demonstrates he is solidly opposed to the Peel plan?

Mr. Rouble’s influence is one of the reasons we are in the mess in the Peel in the first place and I therefore cannot support this appointment.  I would urge the Government of Yukon to ask their federal colleagues to rescind the appointment.

Sincerely,

Sandy Silver,

MLA, Klondike