Parties spar over funding timing
The Yukon Party isn’t impressed with the territorial government’s announcing a new regional relief loan program.
The Yukon Party isn’t impressed with the territorial government’s announcing a new regional relief loan program.
The YP stated in a news release the “Liberal government actually received the money and the minister signed off on the details of the program last September.
“This means that the Liberals sat on this money for at least five months while businesses in the territory struggled to survive, and contemplated whether to shut down permanently because of the pandemic.”
The party provided documentation on when the agreement was signed. The date on the paperwork is Sept. 25, 2020.
Sierra Van der Meer, a CanNor official, confirmed the signing on that date to the Star. CanNor is the partner agency.
“Now, on the eve of an election, the Liberals are finally announcing the program and are expecting businesses to scramble to meet their March 31 application deadline,” the YP said.
“Instead of sitting on this money, the Liberals should have launched this program when they were originally given money by the federal government.”
In response, Deputy Premier Ranj Pillai issued the following statement late Thursday evening:
“The Yukon Party voted against all of the relief programs our government introduced to help local businesses, so it’s pretty hypocritical for them to now complain about the rollout of support for Yukon businesses,” Pillai said.
“Funding for the Regional Relief Loan Program was provided by the Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor) in September, but then a number of steps needed to be taken in order for the Yukon government to provide access to the money.
“To administer the program under CanNor’s requirements, a new regulation needed to be created under the Economic Development Act,” the minister added.
“A request for proposals was then put out to allow a third-party agency to deliver the program. That closed in December and a contract was signed soon after.
“We are happy to be working with dänä Näye Ventures to deliver this program.”
Comments (18)
Up 1 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Mar 4, 2021 at 11:37 am
It appears that all of the required ingredients for calling an election are being gathered in preparation. Today the Legislature reconvenes and a budget will get tabled, and tough questions will get asked, yesterday the Liberal pre-election achievements flyer was in the mailbox (with omissions), public frustration is mounting on a number of fronts - some related to the COVID and government's imposed restrictions, and race-based policy making still burns hot for many in the business community.
The recent poll indicates it's anybody's opportunity to win.
But let's talk about the future. If elected, what are the top three issues for the new government to focus attention and budget on? In this forum there have been numerous views from the public for what is important for them. Soon we will find out which party has been paying attention and may be focused on serving the Yukon public and which already has an agenda for the changes they want to introduce.
So, table the budget and drop the writ before more bad news is made public? We'll see I guess.
Up 21 Down 10
Josey Wales on Feb 28, 2021 at 10:54 am
Moose call...
There is much to say to your post, but I know what swamp you reside in politicly.
Since I try not to piss in the wind, I will summarize...
The sooner ALL the Red Coats are outta our halls?
The sooner the Chinese COMMUNIST Party, the one our absolute complete IDIOT PM "has a great deal of admiration for..." is ALSO greatly reduced in its influence here.
Here or in the CCP, faith in team red will result in dead.
I too have been here a long time Moose, I come to the conclusion they are ALL
self serving power trippers lording over good folks.
To think *any* political blowhole will give nary a rats ass about you and the regular everyday folks of whatever wrap their inners are wrapped in?
Reveals to me that blind faith & cognitive dissonance have overpowered your logic and reason. Too damn much Kool-Aid in your diet not enough H2O
Or...classic case of Gaslighting, need a new swamp Moose.
*context*
Up 12 Down 36
Moose on Feb 27, 2021 at 8:46 pm
@Seriously
I'm not sure who you are since you never use an actual name but instead constantly change like a chameleon but I think you are weirdly obsessed with me. I've tried to ignore you but it's getting a bit much. Every time I comment on these pages you are there to call me a "liberal staffer" (which I'm not sure is even a thing since political parties rely on volunteers) or troll or god knows what. Now you've even boosted me up to say I'm a politician! The truth is that yes I'm a bit of a masochist who enjoy following all things political and consider myself quite knowledgeable and up to date on things. Sorry for that I guess? ha ha
But yes you are correct that I support the government and loathe the Yukon Party. I've lived here a long time and I've seen the shady way they governed over 15 the years prior to the Liberals coming to power. Especially during the Pasloski years. Maybe you weren't around, but there was this little issue around the Peel. It was the most divisive fight in the Yukon I've ever seen and now the architect of that plan, Mr. Currie Dixon might become Premier. To make matters worse, 5 of his current candidates were Ministers alongside him in that government. The thought of putting almost the exact same team under Pasloski back into power again is scary as hell. They really should have tried to find some fresh blood, especially for leader, instead of going 'Back to the Future' as another commenter so eloquently said on another article.
Up 29 Down 6
Yukoner on Feb 27, 2021 at 7:37 pm
Sorry, why is a Dev Corp needed. Neither the feds or YG can figure out how to hand money out... Is that too much "work" for them.
Up 25 Down 11
NickyB on Feb 27, 2021 at 7:34 pm
If Conservatives want to form the next government then it is suggested that they start telling Yukoners how they would be managing the Covid situation if they were in charge. I like to think Conservatives would govern more like South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem who recently stated:
"It's not an argument over whether masks work or if they don't work, I've never argued that. What I argue is the mandate. I think the mandate is inappropriate for government to come in and mandate that someone wear a mask."
The Conservative way is to give people valid information backed by medical science, and then let them act responsibly.
The Liberal way is to treat people like ignorant children who have to be told what to do, by their betters who know what's best for them.
Up 24 Down 10
Wilf Carter on Feb 27, 2021 at 2:38 pm
Yukoners you need to know how far liberal s will go to kill Canadian businesses. Has anyone in the Yukon ever wear a pair of Stanfield underwear? Stanfield has been in business for over 100 years servicing all Canadian regions.
Now Trudeau Liberals has cut them on a government contract in Nova Scotia and will not tell Canadians where it is going.
Stanfield laid off 1,000 staff members.
Up 18 Down 21
BnR on Feb 27, 2021 at 10:26 am
Can't wait for Currie and the girls/boys to get in and uphold these newly found standards of transparency....
Yukoners have such short memories.
Up 30 Down 12
Brian on Feb 26, 2021 at 10:14 pm
Such a great story for aspiring politicians. You start out as a bartender and substitute teacher then work your way up to a minister in the territorial government responsible for important portfolios. Way to go Ranj!
Up 35 Down 11
bonanzajoe on Feb 26, 2021 at 7:40 pm
It's simply amazing how Liberals can come up with such lies so quickly. Just hope Yukoners have good memories when the election comes.
Up 38 Down 11
Lost In the Yukon on Feb 26, 2021 at 6:54 pm
Sandy didn’t earn the nickname “Slippery” because he used too much body lotion.
Up 26 Down 13
Wilf Carter on Feb 26, 2021 at 6:29 pm
This is so interesting and the minister has not given Yukon the real facts on this - just BS. That funding was ready to go when Yukon Liberals signed the agreement. Actually the Feds wanted this out ASAP but liberals intentionally held back on this funding to bring forward before an election to show we are doing great things, but they don't know what they are doing.
The minister has played a dangerous game with Yukon businesses endangering their financial future, their staff and business livelihood.
This not the way a Yukon government should treat their business.
There are more things going on that the liberals are doing that negatively affects Yukon businesses.
The Liberal party is incompetent at managing the operations of government. In a report card of their managing government they failed over 35 times or more, passed on one.
The real problem here is the minister doesn't have the skills or knowledge to put things in place. Economic Development has the staff that could have delivered this program a month after signing the agreement
Up 29 Down 12
Mike on Feb 26, 2021 at 5:43 pm
Moose
How do you spin this crap into a negative when it's already a negative. This was strategically planned by this liberal government to use it as a buy a vote when in fact this was passed 6 months ago. Your Liberal justification for bullcrap is clear but like it or not legalize drugs set up a safe site place and provides all the free drugs for the junkies. The Liberals are not going to get reelected they're desperate acts are proof they are well aware of the fact they are losing and that trend will only continue.
Up 17 Down 24
Business Owner on Feb 26, 2021 at 5:07 pm
The Yukon Party is out of touch with what our small businesses need. They were also out of touch when Currie was the Minister of Economic Development and Archie was Community Services, and did nothing for the real business community. They looked after their friends with funding from Curries department (Mountainview scandal). https://www.yukon-news.com/news/yukon-government-hid-750k-deal-with-golf-course-from-public-view/
Up 26 Down 9
Groucho d'North on Feb 26, 2021 at 3:49 pm
@Moose
It looks like you spilled some of that Kool-Aid on your shirt.
Up 30 Down 12
*shakes head* on Feb 26, 2021 at 3:45 pm
I hope when Liberals look in the mirror they see disappointment. Companies had to fight for dollars and cents for this government. Yet it was given away hand over fist to individuals who couldn't pay it back. If you're supposed to be the role models for the next generation; be prepared for lying opportunists to be coming down the pipe. It's people in this government that prove disgusting politics is at play in the Yukon.
Up 32 Down 16
Seriously moose? on Feb 26, 2021 at 3:32 pm
Shut it moose. We all know you are either a Liberal politician or a staffer. You seem to know the ins and outs of each story and have to slam the YP in every comment. You are a troll. You are a liberal plant in the comment section to stir sh$t up against the other guys and try to make your party look good. There isn’t much going for the liberals right now, and their comment section plants are as transparent as their empty promises.
Up 18 Down 75
Moose on Feb 26, 2021 at 3:18 pm
Of course the Yukon Party is unhappy. They are always upset about something. They are the bad news bears of the Yukon. Any positive news will be spun into a negative by them. They have such a gloomy look on the Yukon, it's sad really. They should be trying to lift people up. There are plenty of things to be happy about these days from the vaccines, to longer days, to a very strong economy, mid-wifery coming into practice, universal child-care about to be implemented, etc., etc.
The only thing they seem to have supported that I can think of is the CEMA measures which included all the travel bans. Which is important though since it means the group putting forward a lawsuit to open everything up has no political backing from any party in the Yukon.
Up 72 Down 14
Pokemeinthearm on Feb 26, 2021 at 2:46 pm
Let's translate from liberalspeak to plain English:
"We knew we could use this to our advantage and announce it weeks before calling the next election, so we involved third parties and bid processes to convolute the process and buy us the time we thought we might need."
I think I got it right, but I'm not an expert.