FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2022
WHITEHORSE – Another business organization is raising concerns with the failure of the Yukon Liberal government’s economic management.
On June 30, the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) released their first annual report card on economic policies related to internal trade and interprovincial cooperation. The report gave the territorial Liberals an overall score of 3.8/10 and an overall grade of F.
“Following the pandemic, the private sector needs to be at the forefront of our economic recovery, and the government needs to be taking action to create a climate where free enterprise can flourish,” said Economic Development Critic, Geraldine Van Bibber. “Instead, we see business organizations like CFIB criticizing the lack of action and giving the territorial Liberals a failing grade.”
The report card grades governments in three areas: exceptions to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, select barriers to internal trade, and implementation of reconciliation agreements.
This report follows a Yukon Chamber of Commerce letter to the government earlier this year that outlined how small medium businesses were in crisis and that “the actions, policies, and proposals by the Government of Yukon…are crippling business at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has already eroded sales and evaporated profits for many SMEs in Yukon.”
The letter went on to provide several examples of Liberal policies, actions, proposals, and consequences that had increased the cost of doing business at a time when many businesses “are hanging on by a thread and feel that their government is kicking them while they are down’.”
The Yukon Party Official Opposition is calling on the Liberal government to meet with the Yukon Chamber of Commerce and the CFIB to listen to the business community and start taking real action to create the conditions where the private sector can thrive.
You can find the report card here.
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Contact:
Tim Kucharuk
Press Secretary
(867) 393-7026