FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                 September 9, 2022

“I would like to thank Premier Silver for his almost six years of service as Premier. It is a challenging job at the best of times, and Premier Silver led during some of the most difficult times.

“The announcement comes as no surprise. In May, the Yukon Party Official Opposition flagged that the Premier was planning to step aside. We called on the Premier to set out the rules that Ministers seeking the leadership must follow to ensure that Ministers do not use government resources or their positions as Ministers to campaign. He did not do that. Instead, the Yukon Government has been left without any political direction for months. 

“The timing of this announcement is also of concern. When the Legislature returns for the Fall Sitting, the Official Opposition will have to question a lame duck Premier and Ministers that are actively running for leadership. This is untenable for conducting the business of the Yukon Legislative Assembly.

“Finally, the Premier leaves a very mixed legacy.

“His handling of cases of sexual abuse in a Yukon school, and his refusal to remove the former Minister of Education from Cabinet despite a majority of the Yukon Legislative Assembly calling for her resignation is a stain on his legacy and that of the Yukon Liberal Party. Yukon’s education system is in shambles, and serious issues facing schools arise weekly.

“Thousands of Yukoners are without a family doctor.

“The relationship between Yukon Government and rural communities has never been weaker, and conflict between municipalities and the current Minister of Community Services has become the norm.

“The Yukon Party Official Opposition reiterates our call for the current Premier to set out clear rules for sitting Cabinet Ministers that are seeking leadership, to ensure that their positions and government resources are not being abused and used to campaign.”

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