WHAT WILL MR. PASLOSKI DO IN DAWSON?
Days before Mr. Pasloski is sworn in as Premier at the Commissioner’s Ball in Dawson City,
conflict between residential land use and mining within the town’s municipal boundaries is heating
up, says New Democratic Leader Liz Hanson.
“I have heard reports from Dawson that the operator of the Slinky Mine in the Dome Road country
residential subdivision plans to ignore the development permit and conditions set by the town.
These conditions included not cutting down trees and not mining within the road right-of-way,”
says Hanson.
Meanwhile, the Yukon government, and in particular, the Minister of Energy, Mines and
Resources has been silent.
All the signs are pointing to a costly legal showdown that will pit the right of free entry staking with
the right of municipalities and citizens to determine appropriate use of land.
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” says Hanson. “I hope the new Yukon Party leader will avoid the
path of his predecessor and try to resolve this issue before it becomes another long and costly
court case pitting Yukoners against Yukoners.”
The Dome Road area is home to many Yukoners who have raised concerns about the Slinky
Mine’s impacts on their quality of life, road safety, and tourism in Dawson.
“I know that on June 11, Mr. Pasloski will be up in Dawson to be sworn in. If he wants to
demonstrate that his ‘Team Yukon’ approach isn’t just a ‘Team Yukon Party’ approach, he’ll be up
the Dome Road talking to the operator and residents, getting to the bottom of the situation, and
mediate a more positive path for the future – before Yukoners are battling it out in the courts and
taxpayers are footing a hefty legal bill.”
The NDP caucus has raised the issue about minimizing land use conflicts – around Spruce Hill,
Whitehorse Ski Trails, Keno City, and the Dome Road – time and time again with this government
without progress. An NDP government will listen to all Yukoners and work with them to develop a
21st Century, balanced approach to land use – whether residential, industrial, recreational or
agricultural - within our communities.