Opposition parties are not happy about Premier Darrell Pasloski's announcement of a special warrant which enables the government to spend $46 million without legislative approval.

"Right after he became premier (on June 11), we called for Pasloski to reconvene in the legislature if he wanted to spend money,” Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell said today.

"We (the Liberal party) prefer it this way, but obviously he prefers, as his predecessor Dennis Fentie preferred, to do things behind closed doors.”

After making the announcement last Wednesday, Pasloski told the Star it's "not typical” to issue a special warrant at a time like this.

But, for specific projects to move forward and with the uncertainty of when the legislature would sit again and when the election will be called, it needed to be done, he said.

Pasloski said the special warrant is being issued to ensure Yukon priorities continue to move forward.

Pasloski explained that out of the $46 million, $39 million is made up of funds authorized for last year's projects but not used.

The remaining portion will go to the following new projects:

• $250,000 for Multiple Sclerosis trial support;

• $1 million for the Kaushees' Place Housing Society under the Northern Housing Trust;

• $60,000 for an interim solution to the Ross River Arena (which was destroyed in a fire earlier this year);

• the opening of six additional beds in Whitehorse General Hospital; and

• $420,000 for urgent care services for Yukoners without family doctors and $450,000 for mine safety equipment.

Both Mitchell and NDP Leader Liz Hanson agreed that these six projects were important to fund, but questioned Pasloski's process and lack of transparency.

"We were out of the assembly on March 28th. We could have had a sitting in late June to bring this forward,” said Mitchell.

"They have a majority. It would have passed, but at least this would have got it out in the public.”

Hanson emphasized that special warrants are not intended to be used on a regular basis.

She said the six projects the government announced seem like a "random selection of pre-election tidbits,” and this news is a sort of "mini-budget without the authorization of the legislature.”

Hanson said she can't help but wonder why emergency housing for homeless people is not on the list.

As for the health care issues on the list, she said, a variety of different and new models have been looked at.

The Yukon Party, she said, continues to "throw money” at the problems without looking at all the different avenues.

"This is totally contrary to what I understood of the legislative process,” said Hanson.

She believes a special warrant should be used when "urgently required for the public good.”

"I urged for these things (like more funding for Kaushee's Place) when the house was sitting, but there was no response .... If I sound ticked off, I am,” Hanson said.