First it was the public utility; now Premier Dennis Fentie is considering the sale of the Yukon Housing Corporation's mortgage portfolio, says Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell.

"This government needs quick cash and is using familiar tactics: selling off assets,” charged Mitchell during Monday's question period.

"The premier tried to do it with Yukon Energy, and now officials have confirmed that Yukon Housing Corporation's mortgage portfolio is at risk.”

Jim Kenyon, the minister responsible for the Crown corporation, said the government had no plans to sell off mortgages held by the corporation.

Kenyon was the minister responsible for the energy corporation when four ex-directors said he was unaware the premier was trying to liquidate that Crown corporation's assets to Calgary-based ATCO, owners of Yukon Electrical Co. Ltd.

Kenyon has since denied those allegations.

As for what the government's plans are for the $40.9 million worth of mortgages and home improvement loans held by housing corporation, Ron MacMillan said the Liberals' view is based on a misunderstanding.

On April 8, housing corporation officials met with staff from the Liberal and NDP caucuses as part of annual budget briefings to opposition parties by departments and Crown corporations.

MacMillan acknowledged the matter came up during that meeting.

"Although this was discussed, we certainly didn't indicate, or didn't mean to indicate, there were plans to sell off or that arrangements had been made to sell off that portfolio,” MacMillan told the Star.

But Liberal spokesman Jason Cunning said the corporation has a report exploring the possibility of unburdening itself of mortgage holdings.

"Two of our staff went to the briefing; they asked specifically, ‘Is this on the table, has this been looked at?'” said Cunning. "'Everything's on the table,' they were told. (MacMillan) can call it a misunderstanding but his officials knew what was being asked.”

MacMillan denied any such report exists, and during the interview cited what he views as a positive review of the corporation by federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser.

In February, Fraser presented her assessment of the housing corporation's dealings.

While she found problems with staff housing's allocation and noted $2.8 million in failed joint ventures that would likely never be repaid, the corporation's home ownership and home repair programs had a solid track record and loan defaults were uncommon.