Revised - The Liberal caucus has another take on the opposition parties’ position that the government is operating too unilaterally with regard to its education system plans.

The Yukon Party, meanwhile, says the Liberals are wrong to say it’s not responding to ministerial letters.

Last Thursday, Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent sent the government a letter asking that the legislature be recalled by this Thursday and that an all-party committee of MLAs be created to examine the government’s back-to-school plans.

Schools are set to reopen beginning Aug. 20.

“The hypocrisy of Yukon’s opposition parties continues,” the Liberal caucus said in a statement Monday afternoon.

“It has been eight weeks since Liberal government house leader Tracy-Anne McPhee wrote to Yukon’s opposition parties once again offering to answer any questions they have about the ministerial orders that have been passed under Yukon’s Civil Emergency Measures Act in response to COVID-19.

“There has been no response.”

But the Yukon Party maintains that is not true, pointing to a June 1 letter from Stacey Hassard, the party’s former acting leader, to McPhee and Premier Sandy Silver.

Two weeks ago, McPhee offered the opposition parties another opportunity to meet with ministers to scrutinize the Yukon’s 2020-21 budget and government spending to date, the Liberals said.

McPhee’s proposal would have seen the budget briefings take place in the Yukon Legislative Assembly so they could be broadcast to the public, recorded, transcribed and attended by media.

The Yukon NDP has once again refused the offer, as it did in April, the governing caucus said. The Yukon Party has not responded, the Liberals added.

“Despite their public cries for the need to scrutinize our government’s actions, the opposition parties continue to refuse opportunities to do just that,” McPhee said.

“Simply put, the opposition is quick to criticize, but refuse to do their work. Yukoners deserve steady leadership and accurate information.

“Our government remains focused on protecting the health and safety of Yukoners and supporting them through these challenging times.”

The opposition parties have been provided briefings on the 2020-21 back-to-school plan as well as various COVID-19 response programs, the Liberals said, including paid sick leave support, the Yukon Business Relief Program, and the COVID-19 Rent Assist program.

The two parties also receive the government’s Emergency Measures Organization COVID-19 daily update and weekly briefings from Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon’s chief medical officer of health, the Liberals said.

But the Yukon Party says the Liberals are wrong to say it did not respond to McPhee’s proposal of two weeks ago – pointing to the letter on the select committee concept Kent sent to her last Thursday.