The Yukon government is not being transparent with its response to last year’s all-party committee report on fracking, says the NDP’s Environment critic.

Kate White explained this morning the New Democrats keep asking the government to explain where it’s at with its commitment to develop an action plan to address the committee’s 21 recommendations.

The New Democrats have asked to see the public engagement strategy the government promised to create as part of its action plan, but they’ve been given nothing, she said.

White said they filed an access-to-information request to obtain a copy of the engagement strategy.

What they got back was a 22-page document completely blacked out except for the last four pages explaining how to manage interaction on social media.

White said it’s the government that has promised transparency and zero tolerance to misinformation.

“You want to talk about transparency, you want to talk about misinformation, I would say that is the perfect example of not being transparent, and misinformation,” the critic said about the redacted response to their request.

The New Democrats issued a press release Wednesday afternoon noting how they’ve received no information despite repeated requests.

The release points out the government announced funding earlier this year to implement its oil and gas action plan and the engagement strategy, but still nothing.

“We need a government committed to transparency,” White said in the release.

“Fracking is a critical issue for many Yukoners and it should be discussed out in the open.”

The report of the all-party committee tasked with examining the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing in the Yukon was delivered in January 2015.

In April 2015, the government announced it accepted the 21 recommendations and would be moving forward with them.

It announced at the same time it remains open to fracking in southeast Yukon but only with the approval of affected First Nations.

Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Scott Kent said this morning they are moving forward with the recommendations and remain open to the economic development opportunities associated with a renewed oil and gas industry in the Liard Basin.

The Liard Basin has been confirmed as a basin with world-class potential, and one of the largest basins in North America, he pointed out.

Finalizing the action plan and engagement strategy are works in progress, Kent told the Star.

Whether they’ll be ready for the public this summer or even before the upcoming territorial election, the minister said he couldn’t say.

What is important to know, said the minister, is that the government is moving on the 21 recommendations.

It’s begun the process of conducting an analysis of the economic potential associated with oil and gas in the Liard Basin, as recommended by the committee, he pointed out.

He said the government has begun collecting baseline ground water and surface water information, as recommended.

It remains committed to having the support of affected First Nations before moving forward with a fracking industry, as recommended, the minister pointed out.

As for the blacked-out pages, Kent said he has nothing to do with those decisions, that those are made at the department level.

Cabinet spokesman Michael Edwards pointed out this morning the document was redacted in compliance with section 16 (1) of the access-to-information legislation.

It reads: “A public body may refuse to disclose information to an applicant if the disclosure would reveal (a) advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options developed by or for a public body or a minister.”

It was Kent, the NDP critic emphasized, who promised zero tolerance for misinformation, yet there’s still nothing tangible for Yukoners to see regarding the government response to the 21 recommendations.

“It’s another example of how the government talks about consulting Yukoners, and this is another example of how they are not.”

An NDP government would ban hydraulic fracturing in the Yukon, and instead focus on investing in renewable energy alternatives and the economic benefits associated with that industry, White insisted.