WHITEHORSE – Alan Young has been acclaimed as the Yukon Liberal candidate for Lake Laberge.

"I am excited to let my name stand for the Yukon Liberals. I am proud to be part of a fantastic team of candidates led by Sandy Silver," said Young.

Mr. Silver: So far this Sitting, we’ve heard about several projects that the government said that it’s proceeding with and they all have one thing in common: the government has no idea how they’re going to pay for them. The proposed fibre optic line is one; the Whistle Bend continuing care facility and also the paving of the Dawson runway are also on the list as well.

I would like to add one more to that — the Keno-Stewart Crossing transmission line. First announced in 2014, the government has spent more than $5 million on this project to date. It is currently before YESAB for review. Originally pegged at about $40 million, the cost of this project has now ballooned to over $80 million before it has even started.

Mr. Speaker, will the minister confirm that the price tag is now at $86 million?

Mr. Silver: Today I rise on behalf of the Liberal caucus to also pay tribute to the National Day of Mourning. On April 28 every year, we come together and we remember the workers whose lives have been lost and those who have been injured while on the job and to renew our collective commitment to occupational health and safety.

Mr. Silver:   Mr. Speaker, earlier this year one of the worst kept secrets in Yukon was finally brought out in the open — the WTF in Dawson would not be handed over to the city as promised. The reason — also not a secret — has been obvious for years: the waste-water facility doesn’t operate properly and the O&M is beyond the capacity of the city to manage. The Yukon Party and Yukon taxpayers have been left holding the proverbial bag. The City of Dawson has rightfully refused to take on this white elephant. In 2014 the government told Yukoners that this plant would cost $340,000 per year to operate.

Can the minister please confirm for the record that the cost to operate the facility is now over $2.4 million per year?

Mr. Silver: I have a question for the Premier. In the last 18 months, there have been an unprecedented number of deputy ministers leaving this government for a variety of reasons. Two more were added to the list just weeks before this Sitting began. That brings the total number to at least 10 who have left since 2014. Some have quit, some have been fired and some have retired. This turnover comes with a cost to the taxpayer.

How much money has been paid out to cover severance packages for the 10 deputy ministers who have left this government since July 2014?