The opposition parties are appalled the Education minister is now claiming he had no idea about a situation that he wrote about in a March 2004 letter.

Earlier today, Education Minister John Edzerza issued a written statement about the veterinary school controversy that has been swirling around himself and Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon.

Following the release of the statement, Edzerza was seen leaving the Yukon government administration building and was unavailable for comment before deadline this afternoon.

The minister wrote the letter about the controversial situation where the government agreed to pay for a spot at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in Saskatoon for an employee of Kenyon's while another student was denied the same spot by the government a year earlier in a cost-cutting measure.

In Edzerza's statement, which was addressed as a letter to the Star, the minister wrote:

'The allotment for the seat at the veterinary college was one of the items removed from the budget of the Department of Education, as there had not been a Yukon student accepted in a number of years. This was with the intent that, should there be a need demonstrated, i.e., a qualified student application, the funding would be made available,' Edzerza wrote today.

'In March 2003, departmental officials declined to sponsor a seat for a student that was applying to the college.

'Unfortunately, this decision was not brought to the attention of the minister's office until this past summer.'

Both opposition leaders, however, are bothered by Edzerza's statement . In interviews this afternoon, they pointed out he was contradicting the March 3, 2004 letter the Star obtained through the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy.

'That is completely and utterly not true,' Hardy said of the line in which Edzerza blames the department for not telling him about the student until last summer.

Hardy points out the March 2004 letter in which Edzerza indicates to Kenyon he is aware of the student from 2003 who was not given the chance to go to the college by the government.

'He recognized that there's a well-qualified student that did not attend,' Hardy said.

'Back in the winter, he was aware of a student who lost their opportunity.'

Liberal Leader Pat Duncan pointed out that March 'is not considered summer in the Yukon by anyone.'

In the March 3, 2004 letter, Edzerza wrote: 'Last year, the decision was made to discontinue Yukon's support. As a result, a well-qualified student accepted by this institution, was unable to attend.'

'This is by John Edzerza's own words,' said Hardy.

'The letter (to the editor) does not answer questions; in fact, it muddies the waters further,' said Duncan.

Hardy was also not happy that Edzerza had decided to blame his department for the situation.

'When you're elected a minister, you know full well you are responsible for the actions of your department,' he said.

'Ultimately, he is the CEO (of Education).'

The NDP leader said the public expects ministers to own up to their decisions, especially those he made himself.

As for Edzerza's assertion that the government always wanted to fund the seat if there was a qualified student, his own letter shows he did not want to put up the money for Kenyon's employee to attend the vet college.

'In conclusion, I believe that rising costs, a healthy labour market and the need for fairness in support for Yukon post-secondary students are strong reasons why the Yukon government must withdraw from sponsorship of a seat at WCVM,' Edzerza wrote to Kenyon on Apr. 22, 2004.

In the letters to Kenyon, Edzerza gives examples of why funding the program is too expensive for the territory and unfair to other students for whom the government does not pony up $25,000 for a seat in the school.

'All students are facing rising post-secondary education costs and none more so than Yukon students who must deal with higher travel costs. I believe, Jim, that it is the role of the government to ensure that it continues to support Yukon students on an equitable basis,' he wrote in the same Apr. 22 letter.

'There is already one Yukon-resident student attending the veterinary college in Prince Edward Island and another one taking pre-veterinary college courses at Medicine Hat College. These two students are working their way toward a career in veterinary medicine with no more support than what every other student is entitled to.'

Hardy believes an e-mail from Education department staffer Carole Theriault, dated Feb. 26, 2004, should be followed by the government.

In that e-mail, Theriault refers to the woman who was rejected in 2003.

'If we were to renew participation in this program, in all due fairness, the first opportunity should be offered to (name blacked out). This student that was turned down due to the discontinuation of Yukon sponsoring a seat.'

In Edzerza's letter to the editor of today, which arrived too late to publish in its entirety, he does not refer to the 2003 student after blaming his department for not informing him.