Few answers emerge from heated exchanges

Insults, accusations and non sequiturs formed the back and forth cavalcade of question period in the legislative assembly last Wednesday.

Insults, accusations and non sequiturs formed the back and forth cavalcade of question period in the legislative assembly last Wednesday.

“Is the member opposite stone deaf?” Highways and Public Works Minister Archie Lang asked of Liberal MLA Eric Fairclough.

House Speaker Ted Staffen cautioned Lang that such remarks could “lead to discord,” but from Fairclough’s perspective, the government has been “stone deaf” to the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation’s drinking water woes.

Fairclough wanted to know why the government is taking so long dealing with substandard potable water in Carmacks.

Lang said money is available through the Building Canada Fund ($182.9 million over five years, re-announced last week) and a public meeting on April 16, to talk remedies, would take place.

The Canadian Auto Workers union members volunteered to fix wells for the first nation last summer. Despite that, the community was not among immediate benefactors of funds touted during the re-announcement, attended by Lang and federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkak last Monday in Whitehorse.

“The community has been bringing this issue to the government for quite a number of years now. The government should be listening to them ...why was Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation not put on the list of communities identified for funding?” asked Faircough

Evading opposition questions - and in some cases ignoring them altogether - has become somewhat a prerequisite for cabinet members.

On Wednesday in the legislature, Education Minister Patrick Rouble put on a fine display of such tactics.

For the third sitting day in a row, McIntyre-Takhini MLA John Edzerza wanted to know why it’s taking so long to put a bus stop in front of seniors’ residences adjacent to Yukon College.

Last December, Rouble offered to dig the hole for the bus stop. Wednesday, however, the minister sidestepped liability issues and proper snow removal to provide a safer walk from the residence to the current bus stop in front of the college.

“If one of the seniors were injured or killed from a serious fall going to the bus stop 20 minutes away, who is going to be responsible? ... YTG or the city? Who would be responsible?” asked Edzerza, an independent.

Here’s the first part of Rouble’s response:

“I support the request (to move the bus stop that Edzerza) has made. I think moving a bus stop would be a good thing. It would not only serve the needs of seniors in the facility but also of the students there.”

The second instalment of Rouble’s answer sheds some light on why the simple act of moving the bus stop is taking so long.

“I can tell (Edzerza) that a variety of different government departments, including Education, Community Services and the Yukon Housing Corporations, are all very concerned about this issue and we will continue to work with the City of Whitehorse, the Whitehorse transit authority and others who play a role in this issue.”

If it takes five authorities “working together” to move a dang bus stop, no wonder it’s taken more than seven years to start construction on a new correctional centre.

While seniors housed near the college wait for a new bus stop, Old Crow residents want a new solid waste facility, as their current one is leaking contaminants into the Porcupine River, and Vuntut Gwichin MLA Darius Elias wanted answers.

“A few weeks ago, the Yukon Environmental and Socioeconomic Assessment Board’s designated office made a recommendation in response to the (Community Services) minister’s proposal to continue the operation and management of the existing Old Crow solid-waste facility for three more years,” said Elias. “Does the minister feel that he is properly managing the Old Crow solid-waste facility?”

Lang said managing the territory’s dumps “is exactly why we’re going out with this solid-waste plan. Certainly, Old Crow is part and parcel of that.”

But this was not good enough for Elias, who, in another volley of questions, demanded to know “...why the Environment minister is allowing the Minister of Community Services to contravene the solid-waste regulations in the Environment Act?”

At this juncture, Staffen interjected, and his admonishment of Elias for “personalizing debate” seemed to suggest the MLA might want to blame the entire department.

“You are talking about a department here, but you seem to be ascribing responsibility for the direct pollution to the minister. It is the department; it is the government, so please do not personalize debate,” Staffen said.

But Elias ignored Staffen and continued with his accusations, forcing the Speaker to intervene twice more.

“I’ve asked you politely three times not to do it. Don’t do it again,” Staffen said sternly.

The heated debate finally drew Premier Dennis Fentie to his feet to answer Elias’ final question: What are the responsible and honourable Yukon Party ministers going to do to solve this problem?

According to Fentie, Old Crow will have to wait in line with other Yukon communities facing similar problems.

“Old Crow is not the only community that has a solid-waste site that is time-expired,” said Fentie.

“That is why this government has proceeded with a Yukon-wide process to develop a solid-waste management plan for every community, Old Crow included.”