Hours before Prime Minister Stephen Harper was scheduled to arrive in the Yukon on Monday, members of the group Yukoners for Democracy held a lunch-time gathering to discuss concerns about the current government. The meal took place outside the

Elijah Smith Building in downtown Whitehorse.

Event organizer Alison Reid had sent an invitation to Harper via Yukon MP Ryan Leef's office early this month. She had wanted Harper to join her, and the 15 or so others in attendance, for a "people's lunch.”

"I regret to say that I've never had a response to the invitation, and although I have to admit I sent the invitation with a bit of a tongue-in-cheek, I didn't really expect him to show up. I really did expect some kind of response,” Reid said in her welcoming remarks at Monday's luncheon.

As the weeks passed with no word from the Prime Minister's Office, Reid said, she began thinking about her assumption that Harper wouldn't come to the lunch.

"I'm sorry that I have that assumption. I think a prime minister should be expected to want to meet with people who have genuine issues,” she said.

Between mouthfuls of fresh vegetables from Reid's garden and a home-made rhubarb crumble brought by Linda Leon, participants took turns addressing the crowd.

"This government is on record as being the most secretive that Canada has ever known,” said Leon, noting the mounting difficulty in accessing information.

"It gets more and more difficult to actually have direct communications with this government, and it's not good enough to just send out decrees and ideas about what the government is doing. They actually need to talk to us and respond to questions.”

Tory Russell shared Leon's concern about the lack of open communication.

Asked what she would have told Harper had he attended the event, Russell said, "I would have asked him why communication with the government is such a one-way process. How come we're not in a two-way dialogue? It doesn't feel like representative government.”

Russell has more tangible concerns about the balance of environmental regulation and industrial development, and the growing economic gap between the rich and poor in this country. She said the underpinning issue really is a lack of open, honest communication.

It's a concern that applies equally to the Yukon's MP, Russell said.

"We've gone to Ryan's office repeatedly. He never comes out to meet us; he never comes out to listen. It's a one-way thing with Ryan.”

On Monday evening, while Conservative supporters were gathered in Carcross for a barbecue with the prime minister, Yukoners for Democracy joined members of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation in a rally across the street.

The CTFN members hoped to draw attention to their ongoing struggle with the federal government for a fair Financial Transfer Agreement.

By Ainslie Cruickshank

Star Reporter