Brad Cathers, the Yukon Party’s critic for the Departments of Finance and Health and Social Services, has some concerns about the major shuffles in the public service Sandy Silver has announced in his waning days as premier.

“We thank the outgoing deputy minister of Finance, Scott Thompson, and outgoing deputy minister of Executive Council Office Stephen Mills for their years of service to the public,” Cathers said.

“My Yukon Party caucus colleagues and I wish them both well in retirement.

“However, these changes raise serious questions about the relationship between the bureaucracy and the new Liberal leader (Ranj Pillai).

“The announcement of the unexpected departure of the two senior deputy ministers who work directly with the premier in just one week raises questions about the incoming premier’s reputation with civil servants and may indicate a lack of confidence by senior officials in Mr. Pillai,” Cathers said.

“In addition, shuffling the deputy minister of Health (Michael Hale) so soon after his appointment to that role raises concern about the ongoing frequent turnover in senior management at that department.”

More than one-fifth of Yukoners do not have a family doctor, Cathers said, and wait times for surgeries and specialist appointments “continue to be beyond acceptable standards.

“This week saw another example of Yukoners falling through the cracks of the health care system, as a family felt compelled to resort to talking to media to try to get support for their child.”

He was referring to medical travel benefits being denied to the parents of a Dawson City child being treated for leukemia in Whitehorse.

The government has advised the family the decision is due to Dawson having a hospital and laboratory facilities – even though the boy has had to be medevaced from the town for treatment elsewhere.

“That the deputy minister of Health was tasked with making major changes to the system, including overseeing establishment of a new health authority, raises concerns about management of that project, and whether senior management changes in that department will result in important files being neglected,” Cathers said.

“Yukoners want assurances that the Yukon’s health services will not be negatively affected.

“This sort of turmoil at the senior level of government leadership causes upheaval, and uncertainty within the public service,” the YP critic added.

“These moves also continue the incoming premier’s track record of saying one thing, and then doing another.

“In this instance, he is failing to follow through on his commitment of stability that he promised when announcing he was running for the leadership of the Liberal party.”