Whitehorse:  Interim Liberal Leader Sandy Silver is calling on Premier Pasloski to confirm that officials from both the Yukon Hospital Corporation (YHC) and the Yukon Energy Corporation (YEC) will appear as witnesses in the Yukon Legislative Assembly during the upcoming Spring Sitting. 

"By the time the Spring Sitting commences it will have been two full years since representatives of either corporation have sat in the Legislative Assembly,” said Silver.  “The government has been very reluctant to have either corporation appear to answer questions and the public deserves better.  I want a commitment, well in advance of the sitting, that both corporations will be in the legislature this spring.”    

The YHC last appeared February 15, 2011 and since that time there have been significant developments in the corporation.  The upcoming report of the Auditor General of Canada on the construction of the two new hospitals in rural Yukon will certainly generate a number of questions.

“A number of years ago the Yukon Party government moved the construction of the two new hospitals out of the Department of Health and Social Services to avoid the scrutiny of the legislature and have resisted calls to have the corporation appear as well,” said Silver.  “As questions mount about the new facilities it is an ideal time for some accountability to the public.”

With regard to the YEC, who last appeared February 17, 2011, the list of concerns is long.

“There are questions about the future of current rate subsidies, power outages, new industrial customers and the biggest one – how will future power needs be met,” said Silver.  “It’s been two years since officials last appeared and hopefully we will get some answers to these questions.”

Despite almost daily requests by Silver, Government House Leader Brad Cathers refused to allow either corporation to appear last fall. 

-30-

For additional information contact: 

Jason Cunning 667-8942