The minister of Economic Development is accusing civil servants from the Department of Education of deceiving their minister and possibly defying the Yukon Party government.

For the first time since November, Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon issued a statement today about the controversy he's been embroiled in over the government's reversal of an initial decision to not pay for a seat at a Saskatchewan veterinary college so a Yukon student, an employee of his clinic, could attend.

In that statement, Kenyon takes on the staff at the Department of Education for not keeping its minister, John Edzerza, up to speed on the matter.

'His bureacratic staff led him down the wrong path. Whether they simply don't understand the program, chose to defy political direction to do the right thing for students or are motivated by political gamesmanship may never be known,' Kenyon alleged.

This is the first statement from Kenyon since the Star first reported last week the details of documents about this matter it had received from the Department of Education through an Access to Information and Protection of Privacy (ATIPP) request.

However, Kenyon has not returned the Star's request today for an interview about the statements.

The documents that were obtained through ATIPP showed Kenyon and Edzerza argued back and forth about funding the program for the student.

Three times, Kenyon called on Edzerza to buy the seat as per an agreement the two had. Three times, Edzerza replied no, arguing it was too expensive at $25,000 a year, unfair to all other Yukon students, and that there is no need for veterinarians in the territory.

Ultimately, the cabinet decided to buy the seat, reversing the original decision.

'The Department of Education has declined to provide me with the same documents that the media and opposition have received, so that I am unable to address any specific points. I leave others to decide if this too is an indication of political gamesmanship,' Kenyon wrote.

'At the very least, it demonstrates that the veil of secrecy that the opposition likes to allude to really does exist, in senior officials, and not with the elected Yukon Party government.'

Kenyon indicated he doesn't believe Edzerza was actually behind those letters rejecting his call to buy the seat at the school, which were signed by the Education minister.

'As it is common practice for all departments to prepare letters of response for the minister's signature, I was well aware that it was not likely that the minister himself was writing the letters,' said Kenyon.

'It is also worth noting that I believe that the problem did not lie with the minister of Education, who I have the utmost respect for. I spoke with him several times about obtaining a legal opinion on refusing to support this seat. He declined.'

However, the documents obtained by the Star on this matter show there was a legal opinion given to the Department of Education by the Department of Justice. It has yet to be made public.

Edzerza said in November he did not request such advice.

'I believe that the legal opinion referred to by the opposition was done without his (or my) knowledge, and that the department only started to support the political direction when they realized that they would likely lose a legal challenge.'

The opposition could not believe that a cabinet minister would write these comments about a department.

'This is unbelievable,' NDP Leader Todd Hardy said today. 'I am actually flabbergasted.'

Hardy has never seen a letter 'attacking a department, attacking a bureacracy that can't defend itself.'

The NDP leader said the letter is unsubstantiated and damaging to the bureaucracy.

'He attacks the department, what I call, viciously, knowing they can't defend themselves,' said Hardy.

'He's violating the human rights of the people working in Education.'

The third party was also bothered by Kenyon's statements.

'I am absolutely appalled,' said Liberal Leader Pat Duncan. 'I'm appalled. I'm troubled. To treat public servants in this manner is reprehensible. They are fellow Yukoners. They are professional public servants.'

She said public servants do not take 'a political agenda'.

'The public is who they serve, and they do a very good job,' she said. 'To berate them publicly like this is wrong.'

Hardy believes Kenyon is not just slamming the department with these statements.

'He's making this accusation that this is a person of not being in control of his department.'

The NDP leader thinks this is a 'very, very serious allegation to be made against one of his colleagues.'

However, Kenyon did say he had no problems with his fellow minister.

As well, Duncan believes Kenyon statements show he does not understand that as a minister, he should not meddle with departments.

As for Kenyon's complaint the department wouldn't give him the documents, Duncan said: 'We had to ATIPP. Do you think you're any different?'

She said that if he wanted this information, he should go to the minister.

'You don't meddle in your departments. You work through your deputy (minister),' she said. 'You don't go to the department and say, Give them to me.' '

Hardy wants Premier Dennis Fentie to fire Kenyon as a minister.

The NDP leader said Fentie has to either tell bureaucrats he stands by them, or he supports Kenyon's opinion.

'Every single employee of this government is going to be watching Mr. Fentie,' he said.

The Department of Education would not comment on Kenyon's letter.