Yukoners working for the federal government will not be able to volunteer for the 2007 Canada Winter Games and still receive their paycheques.

'It is an aberration that the Government of Canada refuses to support their Yukon employees who wish to volunteer when both the YTG and the city have generously offered their employees this opportunity,' said Jean-Francois Des Lauriers, regional executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) for the North.

Employees of the City of Whitehorse and the territorial government are able to volunteer for the sporting event that will run from Feb. 23 until March 10 and still receive their pay.

The federal government's refusal to provide the same paid time-off to their local employees could impact up to 200 potential volunteers in the territory, Des Lauriers said today.

But while the other levels of government are willing to give some latitude to the situation, the federal government is not, he said.

The federal leave with pay policy is only applicable for employees who will be participating in international sporting events.

'This standard does not apply to the Canada Winter Games because it is a domestic event,' states a letter sent to Des Lauriers from Helene Laurendeau from the federal Treasury Board.

It's a policy that permits Yukoners to volunteer for the smaller Arctic Winter Games, but prevents them from doing so for what will be the largest sporting event ever to take place in the Canadian North.

'We've tried to impress upon them that this is a major, major sport event,' said Des Lauriers.

The Yukon does not have the same luxury of recruiting large numbers of volunteers as other Canadian centres do, he said.

'There's a very small volunteer base. We need everyone we can muster.'

Yukon MP Larry Bagnell also hoped the government would show some leeway and permit its local workers the paid time-off.

'Personally, I think this is a very special situation,' Bagnell said today.

The MP wrote letters to the federal Sports minister and the president of the Treasury Board encouraging the government to acknowledge the unique situation in the Yukon.

The response, however, said Bagnell was that to grant paid-leave would create a 'bad precedent.'

'They wouldn't do it.'

It shouldn't be seen as a precedent, said the MP. It should be regarded as a special situation.

Hosting the Canada Winter Games North of 60 for the first time has already been graced with special arrangements by the federal government in the past, added Bagnell.

The amount of capital money provided to the Games in Whitehorse was approximately three times more than when it has been hosted in other jurisdictions in Canada.

'If you want to be inclusive, you have to have things occur all across the country,' said Bagnell.

For small jurisdictions like the Yukon to hold major events, there has to be an availability of volunteers and some leeway, he added.

The federal government is applying its policy very rigidly, agreed Des Lauriers. 'It's very unfortunate.'

It will be a personal choice for federal employees regarding whether they can afford to take the time off work or as vacation, he said.

The PSAC will continue to push for the allowance right up to the Games, he added.

'There is still time to do the right thing.'