FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2009 

APPOINTMENTS TO YDC/YEC BOARD RAISES MANY QUESTIONS

The NDP caucus questions the transparency of the process the government is using to fill the four vacancies on the board of the Yukon Energy Corporation and its parent entity the Yukon Development Corporation.

“Considering all the controversy and confusion this year involving the government’s secret talks to privatize or rationalize the YEC, and the subsequent resignations of the chair, three directors and a cabinet minister, I expected the government to take extra care to ensure the appointments of the new members would be as fair and open as possible,” says Steve Cardiff, the NDP representative on the legislative Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Boards and Committees.

“Only four nominees are being proposed to fill four vacancies, and there was no public process to solicit candidates for these positions,” he adds. “I am also disappointed the nominees do not reflect a broader cross-section of Yukon society. None are women and none represent environmental or labour movements.”

Cardiff has written Dennis Fentie, the minister responsible for the YDC/YEC, and Elaine Taylor, the chair of the Standing Committee on Appointments to Major Government Boards and Committees, to express his disappointment and seek clarification.

He asks the following questions:

1. Why are there only four nominees?
2. How were they solicited?
3. Will the board of YDC continue to be responsible for the governance of YEC?
4. What happened to the plan for create separate boards for YDC and YEC?

“I am not questioning the qualifications of the nominees,” Cardiff says. “But I think the Yukon people expect and deserve greater transparency, so I will not endorse any of them until the government answers all my questions.”