FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                    March 2, 2022

WHITEHORSE – Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon applauded the government’s announcement of timelines for the removal of COVID restrictions, as was requested in his open letter to Yukoners in February.

“Yukoners have become deeply divided and we need to come together as a community once again and jointly find a path forward,” Dixon said. “The lack of a plan from the checked-out Premier and Ministers, and failure to consult with stakeholders or public during the two years of the pandemic, has resulted in an inconsistent and fumbling response.”

However, many Yukoners immediately questioned the convenient timing of the announcement of removal dates for remaining COVID restrictions, one day before the 2022 Spring Sitting of the Legislative Assembly begins. Under mounting public displeasure surrounding mask and proof of vaccine requirements, as well as the vaccine mandate for public service employees, multiple Yukoners contacted Yukon Party MLAs after the announcement to suggest that the Liberals were using political science to guide their COVID response.

“There is a concerning trend where the Liberals refuse to consult and understand the profound consequences of their decisions for months, only to announce dramatic policy changes on the eve of the Legislative Assembly on issues that Ministers expect to face questions,” said Dixon. “For example, the Rogers report was commissioned one day before the fall sitting commenced after a summer of ignoring parents’ concerns, and was then used to simply provide a shield for the Deputy Premier in the Legislative Assembly.”

“This cynical approach from the Liberals is a further example of the shortfalls that I raised in my open letter as contributing to Yukoners’ uncertainty and confusion surrounding their decision-making,” Dixon continued. “These decisions affect the lives of Yukoners and should not be politically motivated.”

The Yukon Party has been asking for the rationale of why the restrictions are in place, and for a plan during the month of February as other jurisdictions began releasing details of their plans. It took until just before the assembly was to sit before Yukoners got those answers.

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Contact:
Tim Kucharuk
Press Secretary
(867) 393-7026