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The territory’s Liberal government may have the perception of a conflict of interest case on its hands, the Yukon Party believes.
By Tim Giilck on April 27, 2022
The territory’s Liberal government may have the perception of a conflict of interest case on its hands, the Yukon Party believes.
Former cabinet minister Pauline Frost is now working for Ketza Construction Corp., which has a $45-million government contract to build a new facility in Old Crow, in the riding she represented from 2016 to 2021. She has been in contact with the government about the project.
On the face of it, that seems to violate conflict-of-interest guidelines for former cabinet ministers.
Some of those guidelines suggest the former minister needed to wait at least six months before having any contact with the government on projects they had been involved with. Other sections indicate it's improper at any time.
The contract was awarded shortly before the April 2021 territorial election.
The matter first arose during Monday’s question period in the legislature, when Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon grilled the government on the issue.
“Section 10(4) of the Conflict of Interest Act reads as follows: ‘a former minister shall not make representations to the Government of the Yukon in relation to a transaction or negotiation to which the government is a party and in which he or she was previously involved as a minister if the representations could result in the conferring of a benefit not of general application,’” Dixon noted.
“Can the minister of Highways and Public Works (Nils Clarke) tell us if the former minister of Health and Social Services (Frost) has ever contacted the Government of Yukon in relation to the Old Crow health and wellness centre?”
Clarke responded that “conflicts of interest are handled by the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.
“As part of our government’s commitment to openness and transparency, the Yukon government passed the Lobbyist Registration Act that sets out clear rules for how these activities are governed. It is the responsibility of lobbyists to register under the act, to understand the rules, and to act in accordance with the law,” Clarke said.
“To the member opposite’s question, my ministerial colleagues and I did not meet with the designer/builder nor the former minister, and instead directed them to work with the Department of Highways and Public Works.
“Our understanding is that the former minister is now working with the designer/builder in the role of the director of strategic operations on the Old Crow projects. The designer/builder was directed to the operational level.”
Clarke confirmed to the legislature that Frost, “along with the design/build team, met with the Highways and Public Works staff on a number of occasions.
“These types of meetings are part of routine project administration,” he said.
“Mr. Speaker, the former minister has indeed contacted the Government of Yukon regarding this contract that she was responsible for as minister of Health and Social Services. Has the Government of Yukon sought legal advice about whether the former minister is in contravention of the Conflict of Interest Act in this respect?”
Clarke repeated his previous answer.
“The designer/builder wrote a letter to a select number of cabinet ministers in which the former minister was copied, asking for a meeting on this project.
“My minister and colleagues did not meet with the designer/builder or the former minister and instead directed them to work with the Department of Highways and Public Works.
“The designer/builder was a director at the operational level and it is my understanding that the former minister, along with the design/build team, met with Highways and Public Works staff on a number of occasions.”
Dixon didn’t let the matter drop.
“Mr. Speaker, the minister has confirmed that the former minister did reach out to the Liberal cabinet and did make contact with the Government of Yukon with respect to this project,” he noted.
“Will the minister release all correspondence and representations between the former minister of Health and Social Services and the Government of Yukon with respect to the Old Crow health and wellness centre, a project that the former minister was previously involved with as a minister?”
Clarke repeated his previous answers nearly verbatim, even observing, “I suppose I will repeat myself.”
Dixon asked more questions of a similar bent during Tuesday’s question period.
Premier Sandy Silver spoke to the issue in the legislature and to reporters afterward.
He insisted there is nothing to the conflict of interest allegations, adding his team had done nothing wrong.
He challenged Dixon and the Yukon Party to file a formal complaint if they are confident in what they’re saying.
Silver said the entire discussion was nothing more than sheer politics and “character assassination.”
He maintained there was no conflict because no one from his cabinet actually met with Frost and the company, despite their requests.
While the conflict of interest regulations specifically say Frost, as a former minister, should have had no contact with the government on the Old Crow project, Silver said he interpreted that to mean no contact with the executive level.
To his way of thinking, it was perfectly acceptable to shunt Frost’s request to Department of Public Works officials, since that didn’t represent contacting government officials.
Dixon told reporters the party might consider launching the formal complaint, but added it shouldn’t have to.
Instead, he argued it’s the job of the Yukon government and the cabinet to explain why the perception of the conflict of interest is in error.
He called that a part of open and transparent government, which he said the Liberals are not meeting in this instance.
The timing of Frost’s overtures to the government were not made clear by any of the three men.
The Star’s attempts to contact Frost via Ketza this week have gone unanswered.
She narrowly lost her Vuntut Gwitchin seat to the NDP’s Annie Blake in the 2021 election.
Obstructing justice in a public inquiry into the failure of the implementation of the Emergency Act is all the character assassination the illegal unelected Liberal/ NDP coalition needs, doing just fine on their own.
Mr. Silver - there is only character assassination possible where character is left !!!
Conflict of interest, eh? May want to dive into the development officers with Ec Dev. How many opportunities come along that they end up personally investing in, after they dole taxpayer funding out? Nobody knows!
Dear Groucho - I hope I have it correctly that you being ironical with the ‘character assassination’ query. Surely, it must be completely understood by most everyone that ‘character assassination’ is the Liberal modus operandi. Categorical imperatives, identity politics, hierarchical intersectionalities, social credit scores, policies that favour one race over another, while their leader denigrates all Caucasians as he engages in blackface humour…
Using the same metric the L:iberals are so famous for using to criticize another, isn't ‘character assassination’ a violent expression that has no place in our woke, progressive society? It can be difficult to set an example I guess.
Has nothing to do with that bid value reduction, eh? Implement a timely decision to set yourself up for retirement? I'd be asking why this policy was adopted that is now benefiting Ms. Frost.
Silver and White and the members beside them and the supporters that are still supporting them…. Your moral compass is so messed up it would be a miracle if you can find your way across the parking lot.
When a position like this gets created for a beaten politician the message is clear regardless of political party. Play ball with us, and we’ll have a golden parachute lined up for you. It’s part of a phenomenon of institutional corruption known as ‘state capture’. One element of it is when there’s a fluid transfer of employment between the state’s decision-making bodies and private corporate interests who are themselves beneficiaries of those decisions. A former minister using their connections is exactly what they expect of their new employee. Regardless of the ethics regulations or details of the timing, it’s not a mistake. It’s a feature, not a bug. Can only wonder what the people of Old Crow must think when they see someone that they voted out of office return to their community as one of the highest income earners with power over a critical community project. Hard to blame those that say their vote doesn’t change much.
Character assassination? That would be kind of like a hired gun peering through his scope at his intended target only to see him getting into the bath with his toaster and radio precariously perched on the edge of the tub.... Just leave it be, the job will do itself.
CURRIE CURRIE CURRIE - You are off base, trying to golf with a baseball bat. Please employ the accepted procedure.
We have slid to a place where conflict of interest, and even more serious corruption in Canada is acceptable, because it has become the norm. If we don't stop this our country is in a great deal of trouble and I find myself wondering if a simple switch of 'party in power' would even result in any change. I doubt it would, at Provincial or Federal level. We are in trouble.
C’mon voters and voters who have given up hope and who no longer vote… Can’t you see what is going on here? YTG, YG, or GY have struggled with an identity crisis since 2015. It rebranded itself with new letterhead and directives to use more friendly fonts such as, arial. This was the marshalling of the collective mind behind “oneness” while screeching about diversity being our strength. Under such conditions, an inherent state of contradiction, the Party ruled through notions of a diversity-perversity while asserting our “oneness”… Turning 50 shades of grey into a weaponized rainbow sword, a rainbow battering ram, to be used to assail the castle of reality by erecting lattices of hierarchical intersectionsities containing categorical imperatives through which citizens can be ranked, treated, and controlled. Nice going f$&@tards! Forever locked into a war of perception where social rewards are distributed as a means of signalling normative societal standards grounded in the infantile notions of a fluid emotionalism… Emote, emote, emote… Like they did during the nazi war era… And yes, the tactics and strategies employed by the Liberals are textbook fascism - Read a f#%€ing book or two!
It's all over the Territory folks. Just look at the changes in mayors and council and what they drag back into our communities. Who is recommending who for some manager positions and who in return recommend who for another. It's in our faces all day long. So much, we are numbed to it. If a conflict of interest isn't self declared, it just doesn't exist. Period.
Is this a joke or what? The cons wrote the book on how to make conflict of interest work? This whole damn territory was built on conflict of interest and the cons (yp) benefited the most along with very close friends. Well at least cunning curry would know what he is talking about on this subject. Also, the cons must think this is important, the curry clickers have been working OT.
@ Anie - your folks raised you right.
Ethics and conflict of interest are two very simple concepts. Most 7 year olds can easily understand their meaning without much explanation. But adults, particularly politicians and politically appointed members of our many boards, are challenged. Here's a thought - if there could be even the slightest perception on conflict, then don't do it. Step aside. If you don't, then you have either faulty moral compass or an immense ego.
Liberals have no character to assassinate. They are literally the antithesis of personality.
Apex Parasite...great post, great message too! The divide and conquer tactics are very wearing, both on the political blowholes and our society in general. After the last few years, if one cannot see those tactics? Either very very complicit in the deceit machine, or truly stupid! Please, carry on.
Can you imagine what we could do together? If the energy we expend stabbing each other in the back was focused into a common front? No wonder politicians seem to go prematurely grey. A steady diet of malice, deceit, and suspicion can't be good for you.
It will be swept under the carpet like everything else the Lieberals have done since coming into power. No apologies given or responsibility taken. Time for a change.
In response to PJ's Ghost on Apr 27, 2022 at 4:03 pm: No! Conflicts of Interests should be addressed at every level. Too often GY is embroiled in a conflict of interest and too often it disappears in the language of the lawyers paid to sweep things under the rug. Time and again… Then there are the seemingly impenetrable layers of protection and early warning systems in the form of absolute policy and procedure that YG has gathered around itself as some form of defensive, prayer hedge to ward off the evil forces aligned with concepts of due process, the right to know ahead of time what the rules are, and that whole concept of rights itself, human or otherwise… Gone, rendered inert through procedural hamstrings… Whitehorse/Yukon you are a den of deliberate inequity wherein some are more equal than others…
You can't assassinate character if they don't have any in the first place.
Seems like no conflict of interest. Currie, please use the proper process and stop the circus show.
We are experiencing a government beset with a mindset as to conflict of interest that is evoking nightmares over ethics. Imagine the audacity of the Premier to say "While the conflict of interest regulations specifically say Frost, as a former minister, should have had no contact with the government on the Old Crow project, Silver said he interpreted that to mean no contact with the executive level." Now it is interesting to note the admission in this statement when he clearly says these words, "...should have had no contact...". Should have had not contact. I repeat this because it means no contact, which is defined as verbal, written, in person, hand gestures or by any other means. It does lay open an interpretation by Silver to choose or put into words that do not exist in the legislation. The intent of the legislation is clear, which he bloody well knows it is. He further admits that "there was no conflict because no one from his cabinet actually met with Frost and the company, despite their requests." Again Silver is playing with words "...actually met..." - well I suggest that in fact they entertained the letters by in fact reading them. That means a) they had contact, and b) by virtue of taking the time to read AND RESPOND (by directing them somewhere else) means they met by virtue of the contact. No doubt each shared their letters because one can bet that the letter was not addressed singularly to each Minister but rather listed who the recipients were in the salutation. Tout la gang! Silver you and your ilk make a mockery of ethics and the very fundamentals of democracy. I swear to a god that Liberal politicians across this country must take a special course on how to screw over the public so that you can run rough shod over democratic principles to suit your own aims. Time and again we have seen you treat citizens as if we are mere vessels for your entertainment. You are not there to serve the electorate (except perhaps for a chosen few) but rather for your own benefit. I have no doubt you will find messaging that will nullify any attempt to hold you accountable on this particular issue. However - what you will not be able to achieve is fogging our memory. In the end we will have the last say...
I am reminded of Prime Minister Trudeau's first comments when the SNC-Lavalin scandal was made public by the Globe and Mail.
Well if she is in charge of that project and she screws that up like she did everything else she was involved in she will be run outa OC by her own old constituents then she can run for hanleys job….we are so screwed.
… the other side of this coin is Ketza. Is it smart business practice bringing on Frost because her unquestioned skills at planning, negotiations and building acumen or is there something else at play here?
Seriously - WTF!?!? The policy for non-minister peons is 2 years but they only have 6 months - WTF!?!? What a Con Game! After what happened with Frost, Blake and the DOJ with Chris Schafer and the Liberal government is a conflict of interest that dwarfs this one… But hey, WTF it’s the Yukon, right? What are the optics of a FN citizen who wants to return home to Old Crow, and gas done for years, but who is being held in Whitehorse by Court Order, not having committed an offence to warrant the order in the first place. The judge placed this individual on a court order under the auspices of a very questionable and dated risk assessment. I guess Gladue is something applied when it suits. So the court placed this individual in a compromised situation of risk knowing or believing that this person was “dangerous”. It’s a sickening judicial travesty that the court would place so many more people at risk by preventing this person from returning home to Old Crow! Make no mistake about it, the foundation for this judge’s decision was political, not legal, and not for the protection of society. Again, without an independent judicial council with the ability and the willingness to censure or sanction judicial activism we will continue to have this Liberal smear on society. There was so much political interference from the DOJ under the current minister and deputy minister that there should be an independent inquiry into the matters. There is absolute gold there!
Graft, lies, bribes, conflict.. = Liberal party. What else is new? If any one has followed the Federal party, Out of 180 countries Canada ranks 13th in the most corrupt..Ottawa stinks of corruption. For some reason, Liberals seem to be proud of their bad reputation. https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021?gclid=Cj0KCQjw06OTBhC_ARIsAAU1yOX3fw1rP7-tJqoHXy2YsvhAOMw1MmxynNgQiPveZv0dvQXkgRzVK7YaAmxjEALw_wcB https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_scandals_in_Canada "Since 2015, the year Liberal leader Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister, Canada has fallen nine points, to a score of 74 out of 100 on the Transparency International's 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index. No country has seen a bigger drop in ratings since 2017 than Canada.Jan 28, 2022"
And like PM JT these liberals like to repeat themselves like parrots when they are dodging the truth.
“As part of our government’s commitment to openness and transparency". Whaaaaaat? Like their Liberal counter parts in Ottawa they wouldn't know how to spell the word less practice it. And like always, they also like to redirect their illegal activity to someone or something else. In this case to the designer/builder.
Umm Currie, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. I'm sure one of your MLA's has a conflict issues too.
Nils Clark still answering like a snake oil salesman. He’s just riding for a pension - these liberals need to go. Checked out premier and Tracy - this government just don’t care anymore and are just hoarding what they can before they are all out.
Conflict of interest questions should not be allowed in the legislature. If there's a complaint, file it with the Conflicts Commissioner. Don't play ambush politics especially with someone who isn't there to defend herself. Currie knows this but he chose to do it anyway. Shame!
The Liberals have gotten away with so much that they think they can say there’s nothing to see here and just move on everyone. The arrogance and contempt they show for the people of Yukon is beyond belief. They don’t think that rules and laws specifically written to govern politicians and governments apply to them because they keep getting away with s—- over and over again. Drain the swamp already!
Hm, of course there is "no conflict" of interest is there? While Frosty Flake contacts several ministers who "of course" had nothing to do with her, so they say, hm. Sure we all need to believe that one - anyone interested in buying the Teslin Bridge ? "Of course" all the honourable (ahem) ministers did zip! Not even a phone call, or nudge to the DM's OR their staff that Frosty Flake maybe contacting them. "Of course", you may talk to the "previous minister" and extend her your "full cooperation". Don't worry there is no "conflict of interest" so says the big Kahuna to all. No "of course" we would never lean on you, our staff, to think there is anything sleazy. Trust me we are your bosses. Is there nothing these cretins will not stoop to ? It is nauseating to have to keep having revealing the crap this group continues to push out. They truly must believe, "we the people".
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